驻英大使在2010英国赴华留学生招待会的讲话
驻英国大使刘晓明在“记忆中国，难忘母校”英国赴华留学生招待会上的讲话
2010年9月24日，中国驻英国大使馆教育处
Speech by H.E.Ambaador Liu Xiaoming at Reception \"to Refresh and Share Experiences of Studying in China\"
24 September 2010, Education Section, Chinese Embay
各位来宾，
女士们，先生们：
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
欢迎大家出席中国驻英国大使馆教育处举办的“记忆中国，难忘母校”英国赴华留学生招待会。
May I warmly welcome you to the Education Section of the Chinese Embay to refresh and share your experiences of studying in China.
我的同事曾建议我今天用中文讲话，因为今天的招待会不同平常，是为英国曾经赴华的留学生举办。可是，我了解到，出席今天招待会的嘉宾不仅于此，还有许多目前虽不会讲中文，但为推广在英汉语教学、资助英国学生赴华留学而热心出力的人士和企业机构代表，我要感谢你们长期以来对中英教育交流的关心和支持。而我现在还无法要求你们所有的人听懂中文，因为在英国的孔子学院起步时间不长，数量也不够多。孔子曰：“行远必自迩，登高必自卑”（语出《中庸》，意为走远路要从近处开始，登高要从低点起步）。所以，我决定今天还是用英文讲。我希望，有朝一日，我们之间能用中文自由交流。
My colleagues at the Embay suggested I speak in Chinese for tonight\'s event.But I learnt that apart from British students in China, there will be many other friends and busine leaders, who do not speak Chinese but are keen to promote mandarin teaching in the UK and offer funding for British young people studying in China.I am thankful to them for their commitment and support to China-UK educational exchanges.Naturally I cannot expect all of them to understand mandarin.We still need many more Confucius Institutes to spread mandarin wider in the UK.As Confucius said, \"Going on a long journey, one must start from a short step, and climbing high, one must start from low.\" So I decided to speak in English today to make things easier for you to start, but I do hope one day we will be able to communicate in Chinese.
60年前，首批外国留华人员来到百废待兴的新中国；51年前，首批英国留学生踏上了中国的土地。2009年，有来自190多个国家和地区的23万多名留学生在中国的610余所高校、科研院所等学习；60年来中国累计接受了留学人员169万人次。中国接受外国留学生事业是逐步发展的过程，特别是改革开放后，取得了长足进步。
60 years ago, the first group of foreign students came to the newborn People\'s
Republic.9 years after that, the first group of British students came to China.Fast forward to 2009, over 230 thousand students from more than 190 countries and regions were studying in 610 Chinese universities and research institutes.The past 60 years have seen
1.69 million foreign students studying in China.Many of them came during the past 32 years of reform and opening up.
在中国，在母校，你们留下了欢笑和汗水，留下了青春足迹，留下了美丽回忆。当然，许多英国赴华留学生可能当初都经历了一个思考和抉择的过程，毕竟“汉语热”只是最近几年才出现；也可能都经受了许多困难和挑战，因为既要学习一门复杂的东方语言，又要适应迥异的生活环境，更要了解完全不同的文化，我本人年轻时就曾赴国外留学，对此深有体会；你们也可能曾怀疑自己学成归来的前途，担心自己一辈子会坐“冷板凳”。
I hope you have spent some very nice time of your youth living and studying in China and brought back lasting memories.And I aume that for many of you, going to China might not be an easy decision to make.After all, the \"mandarin fever\" has only been a thing of recent years.You must have gone through a difficult time, trying to learn a foreign language and at the same time adapting to a totally different culture and environment.You may also have worried about your future, unsure about whether speaking mandarin will land you in a decent job.I also studied abroad in my younger years, so I can imagine how you felt when you were in China.
正如亚里士多德所言，教育的根是苦涩的，但其果实是甜美的（The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.）。付出总会有所回报，如今，从中国学成归国的英国留学生在许多领域或功成名就，或崭露头角。你们利用自己的所学所长，提升了英国社会对华了解和认识的水平，促进了两国经贸合作和文化交流，推动了中英关系的发展。
As Aristotle said, \"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.\" Many of the British young people studying in China have gone through this bitter-sweet experience.They have now become leaders of their fields.Their knowledge and experience of China has also helped the British society to know more about China, and contributed to stronger busine and cultural ties.
我很高兴得知，你们中的几位杰出人士，包括前欧盟驻华大使魏根深博士、大英图书馆中文部主任吴芳思（FRANCES WOOD）博士和英国民间机构筷子俱乐部的主任童海珍女士（H-J Colston），不久将代表所有英国赴华留学生，前往中国出席纪念外国学生来华留学60周年的庆祝活动。
I am glad to learn that Dr.Endymion Wilkinson, former EU Ambaador to China, Dr.Frances Wood, Head of the Chinese Department at the British Library and H-J Colston, Director of the Chopsticks Club, are going to China as representatives of British students for the 60th anniversary celebration of foreign students coming to China.我最近统计了一下到任以来的活动，意外地发现其中与中英教育交流合作相关的最多。仔细一想，这确也不足为奇。因为目前有近十万中国学生在英国留学，据说今年申请学生签证的人数又增加了60%。我最近从国内述职休假回来，航班上几乎一半是年轻学生。现在英国已设立了12所孔子学院和53家孔子课堂，去年，全英孔子学院举办的活动吸引了近10万名英民众参与。中英两国的大学间建立了上百对校际交流机制，合作非常密切。
I was pleasantly surprised to find that of all the events I have attended since I came to London, educational events account for the largest share.This is quite understandable, given the fact that nearly 100 thousand Chinese students study here.And the number of student visa applications grew by as much as 60% this year.On my way back to London after a home leave in summer, I found that almost half of the seats on the plane were taken by Chinese students coming to the UK.There are now 12 Confucius Institutes and 53 Confucius Clarooms in Britain, attracting nearly 100 thousand British people last year.More than 100 pairs of university partnerships have also been set up between our two countries.
中英教育合作是中英关系的重要组成部分。今年，虽然英国政府发生了更迭，但两国关系保持了良好发展的势头。我们愿与英方共同努力，推动中英关系长期健康稳定发展，进一步造福于两国和世界人民。
Education exchanges and cooperation are an important part of China-UK relations.We are committed to work with our British colleagues for a sound and steady growth of our relations, which serves the interests of both peoples and the world at large.
中英合作前景广阔，到中国留学、学习汉语前程似锦，大有可为。事实已经并将继续证明，你们的选择完全是明智和正确的。希望你们做中英友好的纽带、两国合作的桥梁，为中英关系发展作出更大贡献。
A flourishing China-UK partnership means promising prospects for studying in China and learning mandarin.You have proven yourselves to be far-sighted in your choice and decision.I do hope that you will serve as a bridge of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and contribute more to China-UK relations.
我希望大家多到中国参观访问，重回母校，重拾记忆，同时了解中国几十年来、甚至几年来的最新发展变化，及时更新对中国的认识。我也期待英国每年赴华留学人数在目前3千人的基础上进一步增长，不断扩大两国友好合作的力量。
I also hope you will find time to go back to China and visit your alma mater to refresh the memories of your days in China and see the latest development in the country.I wish to see more and more British students going to study in China, bringing the current 3,000 per year to an even higher level.This will further strengthen the foundation for China-UK friendship and cooperation.
最后，在我结束讲话之前，我愿为我馆教育处打一则广告：明年秋季，中国驻英国大使馆教育处将协助国内相关部门在伦敦举办首次“留学中国”（STUDY IN CHINA）教育展，欢迎你们和你们的亲朋好友届时前来参观和交流。
Before I conclude, let me put in an advertisement for our Education Section: The first \"Study in China\" Exhibition will be held in London in autumn next year.We look forward to seeing you again or your families and friends there.
谢谢大家。
Thank you.
