中英双语：刘晓明大使在香港工商协会董事会午餐会上的演讲

刘晓明大使在香港工商协会董事会午餐会上的演讲：《把握机遇，谱写中英关系新篇章》

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Hong Kong Association Committee Lunch: Seize the opportunities to Write a New Chapter for China-UK Relations

（2018年7月10日，伦敦东方俱乐部）

Oriental Club, London, 10 July 2018

尊敬的香港工商协会主席范智廉爵士，

Sir Douglas Flint,

尊敬的香港工商协会名誉主席邓莲如女男爵，

Baroness Dunn,

女士们，先生们，朋友们，

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends:

很高兴出席香港工商协会董事会午餐会。

It is a real delight to join you at the Hong Kong Association Committee Lunch.

去年6月，我与大家欢聚一堂，共同庆祝香港回归20周年。时光荏苒，一年时间转瞬即逝。回顾过去的一年，无论对中国、对香港还是对中英关系而言都意义非凡。

I recall with fond memories of our gathering in June last year to mark the 20th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong.

Time flies. Since then, we have had an extraordinary year for China, for Hong Kong and for China-UK relations.

对中国来说，中共十九大擘画了中国未来发展的新蓝图，引领中国特色社会主义进入新时代，开启了中国特色大国外交的新征程。

For China,

•      the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China rolled out a new blueprint for China's development in the years to come;

China entered into a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics and embarked on a new journey of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

对香港来说，香港新一届特区政府成立。香港积极参与“一带一路”和“粤港澳大湾区”建设，2017年经济增速达3.8%，2018年一季度高达4.7%，创6年新高，继续获评全球最具竞争力的经济体之一。

For Hong Kong,

•      the new administration of Hong Kong SAR was sworn in;

•      Hong Kong has taken an active part in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau bay area;

•      Hong Kong’s growth rate, which was 3.8% in 2017, surged to 4.7% in the first quarter of 2018, reaching a six-year high;

Hong Kong has been rated one of the world's most competitive economies.

对中英关系来说，梅首相今年初成功访华，中英关系的战略性、务实性、全球性和包容性不断提升。两国各领域务实合作捷报频传，“一带一路”合作方兴未艾。

For China-UK relations,

•      Prime Minister May paid a successful visit to China at the beginning of this year. This has upgraded China-UK relations to a more strategic, practical, global and inclusive level.

The cooperation between our two countries across the board has borne rich fruits, with the Belt and Road Initiative promising a great prospect.

展望未来，我想起了一首在香港流行的老歌《明天会更好》。习近平主席说，“幸福都是奋斗出来的”。要实现“更加美好的明天”，我认为，要抓住“三个机遇”：

This reminds me of a popular charity single of mid 1980s which goes Tomorrow Will Be Better. As President Xi Jinping said, "Happiness is earned through hard work." For a better tomorrow, I believe we need to seize three opportunities:

一是中国进一步深化改革开放的机遇。今年是中国改革开放40周年。今年4月，习近平主席在博鳌亚洲论坛年会上表示，中国开放的大门不会关闭，只会越开越大。这既是中国郑重的政策宣示，也是我们坚定的实际行动。中国将打造陆海内外联动、东西双向互济的全方位开放格局；将着力营造良好营商环境，全面落实准入前国民待遇加负面清单管理制度，加大保护知识产权；将稳步扩大自贸试验区建设，逐步探索建设自贸港；将全面放开一般制造业的市场准入，陆续开放汽车、船舶、飞机等少数仍保留限制的行业；将扩大电信、教育、医疗、养老等服务业开放，在金融业方面开放力度会更大。

First, we need to seize the opportunity of China's further reform and opening up.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy. President Xi Jinping announced at the Annual Conference 2018 of the Boao Forum for Asia last April that China will not close its door. China will only open its door even wider to the world. This is not only a serious policy announcement. It is also a call to action.

Going forward, China will

•      Open up on all fronts through links running eastward and westward, across land and over sea;

•      Foster a business-friendly environment by improving IPR protection and implementing pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list;

•      Steadily expand pilot free trade zones and experiment with free trade ports;

•      Give full market access to ordinary manufacturing industries and gradually open up the remaining few industries where access limits still apply, such as the automobile, ship and aircraft industries;

Further open up the service sectors, such as telecommunications, education, medicare and elderly care, and in particular, take major steps to open up the financial sector.

事实上，今年以来中国政府已采取了一系列重大开放举措，包括：中国人民银行率先宣布金融业开放时间表；在海南全岛建设自贸试验区；大幅降低进口汽车等行业关税；发布《关于积极有效利用外资推动经济高质量发展若干措施的通知》，从投资自由化、投资便利化、投资促进、投资保护等6方面提出23项积极有效利用外资的政策措施。对英国牛肉的进口禁令已于近日解除，“沪伦通”有望于年底前开通。今年11月，中国还将在上海举办世界上第一个以进口为主题的国家级博览会。上述举措将为英国企业带来实实在在的好处。

In fact, since the beginning of this year, the Chinese Government has already adopted a series of measures for further opening up:

•      The People's Bank of China took the lead in announcing a timetable for opening up the financial sector.

•      The island of Hainan as a whole is turned into a pilot free trade zone.

•      Tariffs on automobiles are cut by a large margin.

With regard to foreign investment, China has issued the Notice on Several Measures for Utilising Foreign Investment Actively and Effectively to Promote High Quality Economic Development. This document has introduced 23 investment-friendly policy measures in six areas, including but not limited to investment liberalization, facilitation, promotion and protection.

Regarding the UK specifically,

•      China has recently lifted the ban on imports of British beef;

•      The Shanghai-London Stock Connect is expected to be launched by the end of this year.

In Shanghai this coming November, China will host the world’s first national-level exposition that focuses on import.

All these measures will deliver tangible benefits to British companies.

大家现在都很关注中美贸易战。中方立场是清晰和坚定的。中国不愿打贸易战，也不怕打贸易战。我们做好了应战的各种准备，但我们绝不打第一枪。中方为避免贸易战做了不懈努力，目前采取的反制措施是被迫的、克制的和正义的，目的不仅是为了维护自身利益，也是在维护以规则为基础的国际多边贸易体制，维护世界经济来之不易的复苏势头。中国开放的步伐不会因为贸易战而退缩，中国将继续“打开国门搞建设”，继续按计划深化改革、扩大开放。

I know you must have been following the trade war between China and the United States very closely and wondering if this is going to affect China’s openness in any way.

I can tell you this: China’s position is clear and firm. China does not want a trade war. But China is not afraid of a trade war. We are fully prepared for all possible scenarios, but we would never be the first to pull the trigger. In fact, China has made tireless efforts to avoid a trade war.

We are forced to take the current counter-measures because we have no other choice, and these counter-measures are justified and are taken with restraint. They are taken not only to safeguard China’s own interests but also to uphold the rules-based multi-lateral trade regime and to sustain the hard-won momentum of global recovery.

China will not allow the trade war to hold back its opening up drive. Rather, China will continue to achieve development through deeper reform and further opening up according to our own schedule.

二是中国与世界共建 “一带一路”的机遇。今年是“一带一路”倡议提出5周年。5年来，“一带一路”建设成就斐然，80多个国家和国际组织同中国签署了合作协议，联合国大会、安理会等重要决议都纳入了“一带一路”内容。2014年至2017年，中国同“一带一路”沿线国家贸易总额超过4万亿美元，中国对沿线国家投资累计超过600亿美元。特别是去年5月，中国成功举办“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛，签署了270多项合作成果。明年，我们将举办第二届论坛，共谋深化“一带一路”发展大计。

Second, we need to seize the opportunity of the Belt and Road Initiative.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the BRI. Over the past five years, the BRI has achieved remarkable success.

•      More than 80 countries and international organizations have signed agreements on cooperation with China.

•      The BRI has been endorsed by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council through important resolutions

From 2014 to 2017, trade volume between China and countries along the routes exceeded $4 trillion, and investment from China to these countries was over $60 billion. A highlight of the BRI cooperation is the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) held in China in May last year, where over 270 cooperation outcomes were signed. In 2019, China will host the second BRF to work out plans for deepening Belt and Road development.

“一带一路”是中国向世界提供的重大公共产品，版权属于中国，成果属于全世界。英国在金融、法律、服务等领域独具优势，是“一带一路”合作的天然伙伴，完全可以在“一带一路”国际合作中发挥重要的引领作用。我高兴地看到，范智廉爵士被英国政府任命为“一带一路”特使。最近，范智廉爵士又受邀成为“一带一路”国际咨询委员会的成员，我谨表祝贺。

The BRI is an important public good that China offers to the world. It is initiated by China but its outcomes are for the whole world to share.

The UK has a competitive edge in financial and legal services. It is a natural partner in BRI. There is every reason for the UK to take a leading role in international cooperation on the BRI.

I am happy that Sir Douglas has been appointed by the British Government as the Special Envoy for the BRI. Recently he was invited to sit on the BRF Advisory Council. Let me take this opportunity to express my congratulations to Sir Douglas.

三是建设粤港澳大湾区的机遇。建设粤港澳大湾区是习近平主席亲自谋划、亲自部署、亲自推动的国家战略。粤港澳大湾区整体人口7000万，超过英国总人口；经济总量1.3万亿美元，与西班牙相当。用一句话来概括这个区域的特点，就是一个国家、两种制度、三种货币、三个关税区，这些优势将助力粤港澳实现优势互补、合作共赢、协同发展。我相信，粤港澳大湾区建设和“一带一路”建设就像“两个翅膀”，将带着香港飞得更高、更远。

Third, we need to seize the opportunity of development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau bay area.

This is a national strategy that is designed, deployed and promoted by President Xi Jinping. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau bay area has a population of 70 million, larger than that of the UK, and a total GDP of over $1.3 trillion, equivalent to that of Spain.

It also has some unique features, which is summarized as one country, two systems, three currencies and three customs areas. These features will help Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau complement their advantages, engage in win-win cooperation and achieve coordinated development.

I believe that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau bay area and the Belt and Road Initiative will give wings to Hong Kong’s development and enable its economy to take off once again and fly higher and farther.

香港工商协会成立以来，为促进港英合作、推进中英关系做出了积极贡献。我衷心希望，香港工商协会继续坚定维护“一国两制”，推动英国各界全面、客观、公正地看待涉港问题。我也希望，香港工商协会把握“三大机遇”，为助力香港繁荣稳定，为谱写中英关系“黄金时代”新篇章贡献力量！

Since the founding of the Hong Kong Association, you have been contributing to the cooperation between Hong Kong and the UK, and to the overall China-UK relations.

I sincerely hope that you will continue to uphold “one country, two systems” firmly, and help the British people see Hong Kong-related issues in a comprehensive, objective and fair light.

It is also my hope that you will seize the three opportunities I listed out, work for the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and contribute to a new chapter of China-UK “Golden Era”!

谢谢！

Thank you!

下面我愿回答大家的提问。

Now I would like to take your questions