Speech by Consul-General Zhao Jian at the China Alumni Evening

维州经济发展部副秘书长艾达先生， 

澳大利亚高校中文教师协会主席刘国强先生， 

各位老师、同学们， 

女士们，先生们，

　　晚上好，欢迎各位来到中国驻墨尔本总领事馆。今天在场的既有经维州政府奖学金项目资助赴华留学的各界青年，也有获得中国政府奖学金和赴华参加汉语桥比赛的青年朋友。是大家对于中国语言文化的喜爱使我们相聚在一起，是维州政府对中澳人文交流的支持使我们相聚在一起。

Mr Tim Ada, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, 

Mr Liu Guoqiang, President of Australian Tertiary Chinese Teachers Association, 

Teachers and Students, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

Welcome to the Chinese Consulate for the China Alumni Evening. Joining us today are recipients of Victorian government scholarships for China and Chinese government scholarships and winners of the Chinese Bridge Competition. It is the love of the Chinese language and culture that have brought us together today. We also owe it to the Victorian government who has been very supportive of the people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Australia.

　　事实上，自维州政府2012年设立汉默奖学金以来，已资助了九批次维州青年赴华学习，“维州青年领袖”赴华学习项目自2013年设立以来，已选派上千名中学生赴华交流，去年维州经济发展部与中国国际教育交流协会合作，增设留学墨尔本(Study Melbourne)赴华语言学习和实习项目，每年选派20多名学生赴华实习。每年中国政府也会为维州提供一些奖学金名额。我们的“中国同学会”正日益壮大。大家通过学习中文，到中国访问研修，不断增进对中国文化、中国发展和中国人民的了解。今天，古老而现代的中华大地正在发生日新月异的变化。中国人民用自己勤劳的双手，不断追求更加美好的生活；我们通过改革开放，合作共赢，同各国朋友携手建设一个更加美好的世界。相信留学中国的经历，会成为大家人生中一段重要而美好的记忆。

In fact, the Victorian government introduced the Hamer Scholarship in 2012 and the Victorian Young Leaders to China Program in 2013, which have respectively sponsored nine rounds of young Victorians and about a thousand high school students to study in China. Last year, partnering with the China Education Association for International Exchange, the Economic Development Department established the Study Melbourne Language and Internship Program, under which over 20 students will go to study in China each year. On our part, the Chinese government also offers some scholarships to Victorian candidates every year. All this has made the "circle of China alumni" bigger and bigger.

By learning Chinese and visiting China, you can gain a better and deeper understanding of the Chinese culture, China's development and the Chinese people. China, both an ancient and modern country, is experiencing rapid changes. The Chinese people are working hard to pursue a better life. And committed to reform, opening up and win-win cooperation, we are ready to work with friends in other countries to build a better world. I believe that the experiences of studying in China will be an important fond memory of your life.