On 31 December 2018, the Daily Telegraph published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming entitled "Chinese development is not a threat to UK". The newspaper's website also published the article under the title "China's reform heralds a bright new future". The full text is as follows:

2018年12月31日，英国主流大报《每日电讯报》分别以《中国改革开放前景光明灿烂》、《中国发展对英国不是威胁》为题，在网络版和纸质版发表刘晓明大使署名文章。全文如下：

China's Reform Heralds a Bright New Future

中国改革开放前景光明灿烂

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. Forty years may be short compared with human history, but the past four decades have been a splendid chapter for us. How did we manage to pull ourselves away from the verge of economic collapse and become the second largest economy in the world? How did this country of more than one billion, that was barely providing food and clothing to its people 40 years ago, lift 740 million people out of poverty and contribute over 70 per cent of the world's total poverty reduction? The answer lies in the audacity of the Chinese people.

今年是中国改革开放40周年。40年在人类历史长河中是短暂的，但过去40年在中国这一东方文明古国发展奋进的历史长卷中书写了精彩华章。短短40年间，一个拥有十多亿人口的大国，为什么能从经济濒临崩溃一跃成为世界第二大经济体？为什么能从民众温饱都成问题到累计减贫7.4亿人，对全球减贫贡献率超过70%？我认为，可从四个角度来回答这些问题。

First, it is their determination to stick to the development path. The Chinese people remain committed to socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Despite numerous difficulties and challenges in the early years of reform, China unveiled its three-step blueprint for basic socialist modernisation, to which billions of Chinese people have resolutely and persistently adhered. This is why China has been able to catch up with those at the forefront of the times, and create this miracle in the history of human development.

一是勇于走自己的路。中国人民在中国共产党领导下，始终坚持走中国特色社会主义道路。改革开放之初，面对重重困难和挑战，我们制定了分三步走、基本实现社会主义现代化的宏伟蓝图。中国大踏步从赶上时代到引领时代，创造了人类发展史上的奇迹。

Second, it is their ability to reform and innovate, and take control of these fundamental forces driving human progress. The Chinese people know all too well that as history moves on, those who refuse to innovate will be left behind. They also know that there is no textbook to follow but trial and error – "crossing the river by feeling the stones". Over the past 40 years, bold experiments have combined with top-level innovations in ideas, theories, practice and institutions, which has seen China improve its system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and remove systemic and institutional obstacles hindering development. This has in turn emancipated productive forces, brought out the dynamism of the labour force, knowledge, technology, management and capital, and stimulated the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of the Chinese people.

二是勇于变革创新。变革创新是推动人类社会向前发展的根本动力。拒绝创新就会被历史淘汰。在中国这样一个大国推进改革发展，没有可以奉为金科玉律的教科书。40年来，我们坚持“摸着石头过河”和顶层设计相结合，践行观念创新、理论创新、实践创新、制度创新，不断完善中国特色社会主义制度，不断革除阻碍发展的各方面体制机制弊端，解放和发展生产力，让一切劳动、知识、技术、管理、资本等要素活力竞相迸发，使人民焕发出前所未有的积极性、主动性和创造性。

Third, it is their ability to endure hardships. As the Chinese saying goes, "smooth and glossy jade is created by hard grinding". China's GDP has been growing at an average annual rate of about 9.5 per cent and has increased by 33.5 times over the past 40 years. It now stands at $12?trillion (9.4 trillion pounds) and accounts for 15.2 per cent of the world's total, compared with 1.8 per cent 40 years ago. Disposable income has increased by 22.8 times; average life expectancy is up from 67.8 in 1981 to 76.7 in 2017; and the world's largest social security system has been established, covering old-age pensions, healthcare, allowances and welfare housing. These achievements are neither windfalls nor hand-outs. They are the result of the persistent efforts of the Chinese people.

三是勇于拼搏付出。艰难困苦，玉汝于成。40年来，中国国内生产总值年均增长约9.5%，总量达12万亿美元，增长33.5倍。占世界经济比重从改革开放之初的1.8%增至2017年的15.2%。人均可支配收入增长22.8倍，居民预期寿命从1981年的67.8岁提高到2017年的76.7岁，建成了包括养老、医疗、低保、住房在内的世界最大的社会保障体系。这些成绩不是天上掉下来的，也不是别人的恩赐施舍，而是全体中国人民披荆斩棘、锐意进取，一步一个脚印干出来的。

Fourth, it is their readiness to embrace the world. In the past 40 years, China has hosted more than $2 trillion (1.6 trillion pounds) of foreign direct investment, made $1.9 trillion outbound investment, become the largest trading partner of more than 120 countries and contributed to 30 per cent of global growth. From establishing the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone to becoming a member of the WTO, opening coastal and border areas to developing the western inland region, setting up pilot free trade zones to building the Belt and Road, China has turned from a closed country to an open one.

四是勇于拥抱世界。40年来，中国累计使用外商直接投资超过2万亿美元，对外投资总额达到1.9万亿美元，已成为120多个国家和地区的最大贸易伙伴，对世界经济贡献率超过30%。从创建深圳特区到加入世界贸易组织，从沿海沿边开放到西部大开发，从自由贸易试验区到共建“一带一路”，中国实现了从封闭半封闭到全方位开放的历史转变。

The 40 years have also seen the China-UK relationship making steady progress. China's plan to deepen reform and open its market further to the world matches well with the UK's goal of building a "global Britain". China and the UK should always see each other's development as opportunities rather than challenges, still less threats, and refrain from undermining each other's core interests. It is also important that China and the UK, as responsible members of the international community, uphold fairness and justice, stand against protectionism and unilateralism, and join hands to build an open world economy.

40年来，中英关系稳步发展。中国进一步深化改革开放与英国打造“全球化英国”相互契合。我期待中英双方都能视彼此发展为机遇而非挑战更非威胁，不做损害对方核心利益的事；都能勇于担当，共同维护国际公平正义，旗帜鲜明反对保护主义和单边主义，携手建设开放型世界经济。

At the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the Chinese people have the courage to dream big and the Chinese nation has the audacity to reform and stay open. A China that stays committed to reform and opening-up will make a greater contribution to the progress of human civilisation.

习近平主席在庆祝改革开放40周年的大会上指出：“中国人民具有伟大梦想精神，中华民族充满变革和开放精神。”中国将把改革开放进行到底，将为人类文明进步做出更大贡献。