Remarks by Ambassador Gui Congyou at Dinner of SIPRI China-EU Connectivity Workshop

尊敬的各位专家、学者，

女士们、先生们：

　　大家晚上好！

　　斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所举办这次研讨会，聚焦中欧互联互通，着眼“一带一路”倡议与欧盟“欧亚互联互通”战略相对接，契合中欧合作需求。

　　我想围绕三个关键词谈谈对中欧互联互通的看法。

Distinguished experts and scholars,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening!

This seminar hosted by SIPRI focuses on China-EU connectivity and synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia, which is compatible with the need for China-EU cooperation.

I would like to use three key words to elaborate my views on China-EU connectivity.

　　第一个是“变”。国际社会普遍认为中国的快速发展是当今全球最大的变化之一。的确，中国在变。我们刚刚隆重庆祝中华人民共和国成立70周年。70年来特别是改革开放40年来，中国发生了翻天覆地的巨大变化，从一穷二白变为稳居世界第二大经济体，8亿人脱贫，各项民生权益保障大幅提高。中国是全世界经济增长的最大贡献者，中国科技创新为世界经济增长注入新动能，未来中国经济对世界经济的主引擎和稳定器作用还会更加突出。

The first word is "change". China's rapid growth is generally believed by the international community to be one of the biggest changes of the world. Indeed, China is changing. We just celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the past 70 years especially the 40 years of reform and opening up, China realized a complete transformation, building itself into the world's second largest economy from scratch. Eight hundred million people were lifted out of poverty and rights and interests of the Chinese people are significantly better guaranteed. China is the biggest contributor to global economic growth. Our innovation injects new momentum to global economic growth, and going forward China's role as the main engine and anchor of global economy will only be more evident.

　　“变者，古今之公理也”。中国的变推动世界面临百年未有之大变局。 “变”的本质是世界秩序的历史演进，全球治理体制不断完善。相应的，中欧关系也进入新的发展阶段，双方关系的互补性、互利性和战略性显著上升。欧方作为世界重要一极，与中方一道共建和平、增长、改革、文明四大伙伴关系，共同捍卫多边主义、多边体系、多元文化，维护国际秩序和体系，对中欧双方乃至全世界都极为重要。

"Change is the only constant throughout history". China's change has contributed to the greater change of the world unseen in one hundred years. The nature of such change is the historical progression of world order and the continuous improvement of the global governance system. As the world is changing, China-EU relations have also entered a new stage, when our relations are increasingly characterized by complementarity, mutual benefits and strategic importance. As an important pole of the world, the EU working with China to build partnerships of peace, growth reform and civilization, defending multilateralism, multilateral system, diverse cultures and international norms and system, is extremely important to China, the EU and the world beyond.

　　第二个关键词是“通”。变通而图存是自古至今的中国智慧。通过加强彼此间互联互通，有助于我们应对当今世界层出不穷的挑战，推动全球发展和世界格局朝着符合全人类共同利益的方向转变。共建“一带一路”的关键正是互联互通，中欧对此不谋而合。欧盟委员会副主席赛夫科维奇曾说，“互联互通是欧盟基因的一部分。”去年，欧盟机构出台的“欧亚互联互通”战略明确将中国列为合作伙伴，双方领导人也就欧方“欧亚互联互通”战略与中方“一带一路”倡议加强对接达成共识。我们要修路而不是筑墙，要开放而不是相互封闭，要抱团取暖而不是单打独斗。

The second word is "connectivity". Since ancient times, Chinese people have always believed in the idea that "Survival and prosperity through connectivity". With greater connectivity, we will be better positioned to tackle emerging challenges of the world, and move global development and landscape to a direction that is in the interest of all human kind. The BRI is exactly about connectivity, a goal that the Chinese side and the EU converge on. "Connectivity is in the DNA of the EU", noted by Vice President of the EU Mr. Maroš Šefčovič. Last year, the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia issued by the EU listed China as a cooperation partner, and leaders of China and the EU reached agreements on strengthening synergizing the BRI and the EU Strategy. What we need is roads instead of walls, openness instead of isolation, and prosperity through cooperation instead of going it alone.