在“中国—亚非法协国际法交流与研究项目”图片展开幕式上的致辞微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

Speech at the Photo Exhibition of the China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program On International Law

外交部副部长 刘振民

H.E. Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China

2016年5月17日，新德里

May 17, 2016, New Delhi

尊敬的主席先生，

尊敬的现任秘书长先生，

尊敬的候任秘书长先生，

各位代表，各位来宾，

女士们、先生们：

Mr. President,

Mr. Secretary General,

Mr. Secretary General Elect,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

欢迎出席此次图片展和招待会。

Welcome to this photo exhibition and reception.

相信大家还记得，去年春天在北京召开的第54届亚非法协年会上，李克强总理在开幕式上宣布了中国政府出资设立“中国—亚非法协国际法交流与研究项目”的决定，撒播下一颗合作交流的种子。一年来，在各方共同努力下，这颗种子已经生根发芽，相关规划和活动已经开展：正如大家可以从展览所了解的，这个项目由中国政府资助，向亚非法协所有成员国开放，旨在促进国际法领域的相互交流和分享、加强能力建设，包括为成员国法律官员及秘书处官员提供培训和交流平台，为亚非法协的相关研究、下设工作组和专家组的相关会议、秘书处参与其他国际组织或会议等提供资助等。去年夏天，作为试点，已在厦门举办了首期培训班，今年8、9月间，将在北京举办第二期培训班。其他活动也在规划中。希望图片展有助大家了解项目，也热诚欢迎各方的积极参与、建议和支持,一起实现“相互借鉴、共同进步”的目标。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

As you may recall, at the Inaugural meeting of 54th Annual Session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) held in Beijing in spring of last year, Premier Li Keqiang of China announced that the Chinese government would set up a China-AALCO exchange and research program on international law. This planted a seed for cooperation and exchanges.

One year on, with the joint efforts of various parties, this seed has taken root and sprouted, and relevant activities are being carried out.

You will learn from this exhibition that the program, funded by the Chinese government and open to all AALCO member states, is aimed at promoting exchanges and experience sharing and strengthening capacity building in the field of international law, including a training and exchange platform for legal officers of member states and officers of the Secretariat, and funding for AALCO research, activities of its working groups and expert groups, and the participation of the Secretariat in other international organizations or conferences.

Last summer, the first training session was held on a pilot basis in Xiamen. In coming August and September, the second training session will be held in Beijing. Other activities are also being planned. I hope this photo exhibition will help you better understand the program, and I welcome the active participation and support from all sides, so that together, we can learn from each other and make common progress.

女士们，先生们！

Ladies and Gentlemen,

这一项目也是中国政府对亚非法协60周年的一份献礼，代表着中国对亚非法协在新时期取得更大发展和发挥更大作用的殷切期望和坚定支持。60年来，在“团结、友谊、合作”的万隆精神指引下，亚非法协为促进亚非国家在国际法领域的协商合作和凝聚共识、维护共同利益发挥了不可或缺的作用，也为国际法治的发展作出了不可磨灭的贡献。当前，国际秩序正经历深刻演变，我们亚非国家，作为曾经的“国际体系的后来者、被动接受者”，迎来了在这一新旧体系演变中发挥更具实质影响作用的历史性的共同机遇。我们要以亚非法协60年的发展为新的起点，进一步加强团结合作，增强我们在国际法领域的集体影响力，推动建立一个更好维护亚非国家主权、更有利于亚非国家现代化发展的更为公正合理的国际秩序。中国愿继续和亚非国家加强合作，协力实现这一共同目标。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

This program is a tribute of the Chinese government to the 60th anniversary of AALCO, and represents China’s high expectations and firm support for a bigger role of AALCO in the new era. Over the past 60 years, under the guidance of the Bandung Spirit of unity, friendship and cooperation, AALCO has been indispensable in promoting consultation and cooperation, building consensus, and upholding the common interests of Asian and African countries in the field of international law, and has made indelible contribution to the development of international rule of law.

The international order is now undergoing profound transformation. The current international system was created without the active participation and input of Asian and African countries. Now we have a historic opportunity to have a bigger collective influence on the evolution of the system. We may take AALCO’s 60th anniversary as a new starting point, strengthen unity and cooperation, improve our collective influence in the evolution of international law, and build a more equitable and reasonable international order that will better uphold world peace and promote development of Asian and African countries. China is ready to work together with other Asian and African countries towards this common goal.

女士们，先生们，

Ladies and Gentlemen,

今年是“联合国主要司法机关”国际法院成立70周年。我还想借此机会，就如何正确恰当运用司法程序和平解决争端和大家分享一些看法。众所周知，国际法院在促进和平解决争端的作用普遍受到各国重视和赞赏，但也有一些国际司法机构的做法引起极大争议，包括我们不少亚非国家提出了批评和关注。这给我们的启示是：运用国际司法程序，要充分尊重各国的意愿、以相关国家的事先同意和充分磋商为前提；在启动程序以及解释和适用国际条约方面，要坚持善意、公平、公正、客观、审慎原则，不得越权和滥用；争端解决程序应有利于促进缓和及解决争端，而不是挑动和激化争端；更不能借“法治”之名，行侵害他国权益之实。

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. In this context, I would like to share with you my observations on the peaceful settlement of disputes through the appropriate application of judicial procedures. The ICJ has done a good job in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes. Its role has been valued and appreciated by many countries. However, some few international judicial bodies have caused great controversy, criticism and concern from various countries including Asian and African countries. This should give us much food for thought. It reminds us that the application of international judicial procedures should be based on full respect for the will of the countries concerned as well as their prior consent and in full consultation of the countries concerned. In the initiation of procedures for the interpretation and application of international treaties, it is important to act with good faith, equity, impartiality, objectivity and prudence, and to avoid any ultra vires or abuse. It is also important that dispute settlement procedures should work for the resolution of disputes, instead of provoking or escalating differences, still less infringing upon the rights and interests of other countries under the pretext of the rule of law.

我还愿强调，作为中国对国际法的忠实践行，中国坚定致力于通过谈判和平解决争端，这是各项国际法文件规定的解决争端的首要方式，这也是中国基于对国际实践的认识和丰富的国家实践作出的选择。中国通过友好谈判，按照“一国两制”的原则，妥善解决了历史遗留的香港和澳门问题，为通过友好谈判解决国际争端贡献了中国经验。中国与14个陆上邻国中的12国友好谈判解决了边界问题，划定了约20000公里长的边界线，占中国陆地边界线的约90%。中国正与印度和不丹就解决边界问题举行积极磋商。中国同越南谈判划定了两国在北部湾的海洋边界。中国与越南商定将致力于谈判解决其他海洋划界问题。中国与韩国也于去年12月正式启动海洋划界谈判。通过谈判解决争议已成为东亚的地区规则。2002年，中国和东盟国家签署《南海各方行为宣言》，根据《宣言》第4条，有关各方承诺，由直接有关的主权国家通过友好磋商和谈判，以和平方式解决它们的领土和管辖权争端。这是中国与东盟国家的共同承诺。根据国际法、亚洲经验和中国实践，我们认为，双边谈判解决争端，在处理复杂敏感问题上具有独特优势，因为它能充分体现当事国的自主意愿和主权平等，谈判成果也更易为当事国人民所接受，能够得到有效实施，具有长久生命力。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

In this context, I would like to stress that, as a faithful supporter of international law, China is firmly committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiations, which is the primary means of dispute settlement in accordance with international law. This is also based on China’s understanding of international practice as well as its own rich national practices. Through friendly negotiations, and based on the principle of “one country, two systems”, China has properly handled issues concerning Hong Kong and Macao which had been left over from history, and thus added a China’s experience to the practices of peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiations. Through friendly negotiations, China has settled boundary questions with 12 of its 14 land neighbors and delimited around 20,000 kilometers of the boundary, accounting for 90% of China’s land border. China now maintaining active negotiation with India and Bhutan respectively on the resolution of boundary issues. Through friendly negotiations, China and Vietnam have delimited their maritime boundary in the Beibu Gulf. China and Vietnam also have committed to solving other maritime delimitation issues through negotiations. China and the Republic of Korea launched their negotiation on maritime delimitation in December 2015. Resolving disputes through negotiations has already been a regional rule for Asian countries. In 2002, China and ASEAN countries signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and according to Article 4 of theDeclaration, the Parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned. This is a common undertaking by China and ASEAN countries. In accordance with international law, Asian experience and China’s practices, we believe that bilateral negotiations have been becoming an effective approach to handling complicated and sensitive issues, as it fully respects the will of the countries concerned and sovereign equality between them. Moreover, the outcomes of negotiations are more acceptable to the people of those countries and can be implemented smoothly, and therefore more lasting.

我和大家分享以上看法，也符合这个项目“交流和分享经验”的主题，可以算是我对这个项目的一个贡献。时间有限，不便详细展开。大家如果感兴趣，可以稍后进一步交流。

These are my personal thoughts and modest contribution to the exchange and research program. In the interest of time, I will not go into details.

最后，我提议，为亚非法协第55届年会的成功，为项目的成功，为亚非法协的振兴和国际法治的发展，为各成员国的团结和友谊，为各位的健康，干杯！微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂

Now, please join me in a toast,

to the success of the 55th Annual Session of AALCO,

to the success of the China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program on International Law,

to the enlargement of AALCO and international rule of law,

to the unity and friendship of AALCO member states, and

to the health of everyone present here,

Cheers!