Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Conferring Ceremony of 2018 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad: Remember Your Mission Entrusted by Your Motherland and Carry on the Fine Traditions

老师们、同学们：

　　大家上午好！

　　很高兴出席“2018年国家优秀自费留学生奖学金”颁奖仪式。首先，我谨代表中国驻英国大使馆向喜获嘉奖的同学们表示热烈祝贺！

　　今年是我连续第九次参加这个活动，今年也是历年获奖人数最多的一次。共有41名同学赢得“优秀自费留学生”这项荣誉，还有一位同学获得 “特别优秀奖”，全球只有10位同学获此殊荣，这充分显示出在英留学生的实力，我为你们感到骄傲和自豪！

Dear Professors and Students:

Good morning!

It is a real delight to join you at the Conferring Ceremony of 2018 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad. 

On behalf of the Chinese Embassy, let me begin by extending my warmest congratulations to today's awardees! This is the tenth time that I attended the conferring ceremony. I am glad to see that this year, there are 41 awardees, more than the previous years. Worldwide, ten students have won the Extraordinary Potential Prize, and I am delighted that one of them is here among you. This fully demonstrates the academic strength of Chinese students in the UK. I am so proud of you!

　　英国是近现代高等教育体制的发源地，多家高等学府享誉全球，科研实力世界领先。目前在英中国留学生已达19万人，是英国最大的海外学生群体，也是中国在海外的第二大留学生群体。近代以来，大批中国留学人员为了追求民族独立和复兴负笈英伦，这一进程一直伴随着中国从“站起来”到“富起来”再到“强起来”的伟大历史性跨越。在留英学生中诞生了一大批为祖国发展做出卓越贡献的栋梁之才，他们中有李四光、谭铁牛、黄昆、黄大年等。希望在座同学们以这些前辈们为榜样，将留英学子的优秀品质和气概发扬光大。

Britain is the birth place of modern higher education. It has some of the best universities in the world. It also leads the world in scientific research capability. As of today, 190,000 Chinese students are studying here in Britain. They are the largest international student community in the UK, and the second largest Chinese student community overseas.

Since modern times, generations of Chinese students have come to Britain not only to study but also to look for the way to the independence and rejuvenation of their country. They made extraordinary contribution to their motherland in its historic leap from gaining independence to growing prosperous and strong. Among them were Li Siguang, Tan Tieniu, Huang Kun and Huang Danian.

I hope you will take over their baton and carry on their fine traditions.

　　第一，要坚守中华民族的“骨气”。中华民族是一个有骨气的民族，历经沧桑而不倒，屡受磨难而不屈，始终屹立于世界民族之林。中华民族5000多年的文明史，中国人民近代以来170多年的斗争史，中国共产党人近100年的奋斗史，新中国70年的发展史，激荡着每一个中国人的爱国情怀。中华民族千百年来传承下来的骨气，是一代代中国人砥砺前行的不竭动力。希望广大留英学子继承留学报国的光荣传统，始终把国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福作为自己的努力方向，将个人事业与祖国发展结合起来，把自己的梦想融入实现中国梦的奋斗之中。

First, I hope you will carry forward the pride of the Chinese nation.

The Chinese nation is a proud nation. We have been standing tall and firm despite numerous difficulties and setbacks.

For thousands of years, this national pride has been driving generations of Chinese to be forever better. And our history, the 5,000-year glory of the Chinese civilization,

the 170 years of struggle in modern history, the nearly 100 years of strenuous efforts of the Communist Party of China, and the 70 years of progress since the founding of the People's Republic of China, has inspired the patriotic feeling in the heart of every Chinese.

It is my hope that you will carry on this glorious tradition of patriotism; that you will always work for the prosperity of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation and the wellbeing of the people; and that you will live your own dreams as you strive for the Chinese Dream.