Remarks by Ambassador Cui Tiankai at the Fifth China-US Governors Forum

19.2.23崔天凯大使在第五届中美省州长论坛开幕式上的致辞

Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A

美国肯塔基州列克星敦市

23-May-19

2019年5月23日

The Honorable Governor Matt Bevin,

尊敬的贝文州长，

President Li Xiaolin,

尊敬的李小林会长，

Mayor Tang Liangzhi,

尊敬的唐良智市长，

Chinese and American Governors,

尊敬的中美各位省州长，

Ladies and Gentlemen,

女士们、先生们：

It is my great pleasure to come again to the beautiful state of Kentucky and to see so many old and new friends here. Given the current circumstances, it is more important than ever that sub-national representatives from China and the United States gather to explore how to advance cooperation and identify win-win opportunities that benefit all. First, I wish to extend warm congratulations to the forum and heartfelt thanks to Governor Bevin, the National Governors Association, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and all the representatives from both countries. Thank you for what you have done to deepen ties and promote collaboration.

很高兴再次来到美丽的肯塔基州，见到这么多新老朋友。中美省州代表济济一堂，共促两国地方合作，在当前形势下尤为重要。我谨对第五届中美省州长论坛召开致以热烈祝贺！并向贝文州长、美国全国州长协会、中国人民对外友好协会和中美参会代表表示衷心感谢，感谢你们为促进中美地方合作所做的努力。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号高斋翻译学堂

Every time I come to Kentucky, I feel like I am returning home. Here, I always find true friendship, not groundless suspicions; our people focus on cooperation, not confrontation; and we share hope for greater engagement and understanding, not the so-called "decoupling" or estrangement. Indeed, in my travels from Michigan to Washington State, from Montana to Arizona, from the East Coast to the West Coast, wherever I go, I am struck with the same impression among ordinary Americans. The friendly, open-minded, hard-working and independent American people always reminds me of my country and my compatriots thousands of miles away.

每次来到肯塔基，都有一种亲切感。在这里，我们感受到真诚的友谊，而不是无端的猜疑；在这里，人们注重的是合作，而不是对抗；在这里，大家期盼的是更多交往和了解，而不是所谓“脱钩”和隔绝。在我去过的许多地方，从密歇根到华盛顿州，从蒙大拿到亚利桑那，从东海岸到西海岸，当我置身于普通美国人之中，都有这样的感觉。友好开放、辛勤工作、崇尚自立的美国人民总是让我想起万里之外我的祖国和我的同胞。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号高斋翻译学堂

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Thanks to the hard work of successive generations, my country has become what it is today. Hundreds of millions of people have blazed their paths, step by step, out of poverty, and they have been still working tirelessly, bit by bit, to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The painstaking efforts of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, including workers, farmers, scientists and entrepreneurs must not be taken for granted. I believe that friends present from Chongqing, Shaanxi, Jiangxi and Gansu have countless stories to share with you about how hard they have been working.

今年是中华人民共和国成立70周年，一代又一代人的持续奋斗，成就了今天的中国。亿万人摆脱贫困的道路是一步一步走出来的，全面实现小康社会，是一点一滴、一砖一瓦建设起来的。没有人能够“恩赐”这一切，更没有人有权力抹煞中国工人、农民、科技人员、企业家等十四亿人艰苦卓绝的努力。在座的重庆、陕西、江西、甘肃的朋友们有无数这样的奋斗故事可以告诉大家。

As President Xi Jinping aptly points out, "to meet the people's aspiration for a better life is our mission". We know too well that happiness cannot be achieved without hard work and success cannot be won without surviving hardships. The Chinese people will never falter in their endeavor to overcome difficulties and pursue a better life, and no force can ever stop them doing so.

习近平主席指出：“人民对美好生活的向往，就是我们的奋斗目标。”我们深知，幸福是奋斗出来的，辉煌是靠战胜苦难造就的。中国人民攻坚克难、追求美好生活的步伐不会停顿，也没有任何力量能够阻挡。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号高斋翻译学堂

We know too well that in today's world, no country can prosper alone. China will continue to pursue development with the commitment to opening-up and achieve win-win results through cooperation with other countries. To this end, we regard the US as an important cooperation partner.

我们同样深知，当今世界，任何国家都不可能关起门来一枝独秀。中国将继续在开放中谋求发展，在同各国合作中实现共赢。为此，我们视美国为重要的合作伙伴。

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations. We have learned from the past four decades that cooperation is the only right option for our two countries and has brought huge benefits to the two peoples, as evidenced by the booming cooperation between many American states and China. According to the latest statistics of the US-China Business Council, over the past decade, Kentucky's goods exports to China have grown by 157%, more than doubling the overall growth rate of that to other countries. Its services exports to China have increased by 250%, over ten times the overall growth rate of that to other countries. China is Tennessee's third largest market for both goods and services exports and ranks among the top five for Colorado, Michigan and Washington State. Trade with China has created over 160,000 jobs for these five states and delivered real benefits to their people.

今年是中美建交40周年。40年的历程告诉我们，合作是两国唯一正确的选择，合作给两国人民带来巨大福祉。美国各州对华合作的蓬勃发展就是例证。根据美中贸委会最新统计，过去十年，肯塔基州对华货物出口增长157%，是该州对世界其他各国货物出口总和增长率的两倍还多；肯塔基对华服务出口增长250%，是该州对世界其他各国服务出口总和增长率的10倍强。中国是田纳西州第三大货物出口市场和第三大服务出口市场，在科罗拉多、密歇根、华盛顿州的货物、服务出口市场中，中国均列前五位。对华贸易为以上5个州共提供了16万多个就业岗位，给各州人民带来了实实在在的利益。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号高斋翻译学堂

It is concerning, however, that these same states have seen a decrease of their goods exports to China as a result of the trade frictions that began last year. We need to pay serious attention to this, and not let some ill-informed, ill-intentioned people incite a "new Cold War" at the expense of the people's interests.

然而，令人担忧的是，受去年以来的中美经贸摩擦影响，上述各州对华货物出口均有所下降。这应该引起我们大家的高度关注。我们不能让一些别有用心的人把中美两国人民的利益当作他们鼓动“新冷战”的牺牲品。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号高斋翻译学堂

Both the Chinese and American people are pursuing a better life; this is our common goal. Not long ago, the Chinese Embassy opened its door to the American public. On one single day, almost 10,000 Americans visited our Embassy, expressing their friendship for and strong interest in China and sharing with us many touching stories between the two peoples. We have been more convinced than ever before that the China-US relationship belongs to our people and its future should be defined by the people. In light of their interests, we will look to our two countries to expand cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit, manage differences on the basis of mutual respect and jointly advance our bilateral relations based on coordination, cooperation and stability.

中国人民和美国人民都在追求更加美好的生活，两国人民心意相通。前不久，中国驻美使馆举行了面向美国民众的开放日，近1万名普通美国人进入使馆，表现出对中国的友好和浓厚兴趣，分享了许许多多发生在两国人民之间的感人故事。这让我们更加相信，中美关系属于两国人民，中美关系的未来要由两国人民来定义。基于两国人民的利益，我们期待中美双方在互惠互利基础上拓展合作，在相互尊重基础上管控分歧，携手推进以协调、合作、稳定为基调的中美关系。

We are gathering today to explore how to work "toward a better future for China-US relations". This fully demonstrates the confidence in and expectations on our relations at the sub-national level. We know that Kentucky's state motto is "united we stand, divided we fall". So let's join hands to deepen practical cooperation and step up people-to-people exchanges and friendship. Let's work together to energize the long-term development of China-US relations and meet the people's aspirations for a better life.

今天我们聚在一起，共同探讨建设“更加美好的中美关系”，充分反映了两国地方对中美关系的信心和期许。肯塔基州州训告诉我们“和则存、分则亡”。让我们携起手来，深化务实合作，加强人员交流，增进人民友谊，共同为中美关系长远发展增加新动能，更好地满足两国人民对美好生活的追求。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号高斋翻译学堂

I wish the Forum a complete success. Thank you!

预祝论坛圆满成功，谢谢大家！