FT：您刚才提到世界和平与稳定，众所周知世界各国都对军控问题十分关注。在中国的军事实力不断增长的情况下，中方是否有意加入一个包含中俄欧三方新的全球防扩散条约，以替代已经失效的中程导弹条约？

　　张明：中国一直是一支和平的力量，在全球裁军领域发挥了重要作用。中国的国防军事力量完全是防御性部署。2000多年前中国就秉持这种和平思想，举世瞩目的长城就不是进攻性的，而是完全是用于防御外来入侵。维护和平、保家卫国是中国的DNA（遗传基因）。中国幅员辽阔、人口众多，与之相比，中国军力并不过于强大。中国从未谋求扩张，我们唯一的目的就是保卫我们的家园。

FT: You mentioned global peace and stability. Obviously, as you know, there are great concerns about weapon proliferation. China is a rising military power. Does China has any interest in joining in some kind of replacement for the INF Treaty, a missile treaty that would take in Europe, maybe Russia as well as China as part of a new international non-proliferation treaty?

Zhang: China is always a force standing for peace, and we have made contribution to arms control and disarmament. I would say that our defense is entirely defensive in nature. Such defensive nature could be dated back to 2,000 years ago when we built the Great Wall, which is not offensive at all. Safeguarding global peace and protecting our motherland is in China's DNA. China has a big population and a big territory. With that, China's military power is not disproportionately formidable. We do not seek expansionism. Our job is just to protect our territory.

　　中导条约是美国和前苏联在冷战期间达成的一项裁军协议，在历史上发挥了重要作用，至今仍有很强的现实意义。我们对美方单方面退出协议表示遗憾。中导条约的达成是基于双方拥有巨额数量的远程导弹。今天，美俄双方也都还拥有强大的远程进攻能力。在这方面，中国与美俄两国相差甚远。我们坚决反对中导条约扩大化。

The INF Treaty was concluded between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War. In history, it had an important role to play, and today it is also relevant. We regret that US unilaterally withdrew from the treaty. That treaty was concluded between the two countries back then given the context that they had a very large arsenal of long-distance missiles. Even today, the U.S. and Russia have the capability to make long-distance attacks. China' defensive capabilities could not be put in the same category as them. So we are opposed to any attempt to expand the INF Treaty.

　　FT：我们今天讨论了很多话题，有什么话题是我们没有谈到但您想进一步阐述的吗？

　　张明：不知你们是否注意到近期中美、中欧之间的人文交流出现了一些新动向，我想就此谈几点看法。

　　过去十多年来，世界上希望学习中文、了解中国文化和当代中国的人数迅速增长。为此，通过与各国大学合作以提升汉语教学的孔子学院应运而生。

FT: We discussed many subjects. Is there anything we haven't touched on but you want to mention yourself?

Zhang: Have you noticed some tendencies in culture and people-to-people exchanges in the United States and in Europe also? I wish to say a few words on that.

As you know, there is now a growing global interest in learning the Chinese language, to learn more about the Chinese civilization and modern China as well. In response to such demands, the Confucius Institutes have been established in cooperation with universities and colleges around the world to promote education in the Chinese language.

　　在个别国家的施压下，一些欧盟成员国大学做出了同孔子学院终止合作的决定，甚至在欧盟层面也出现了这种动向。欧洲人民对孔子非常熟悉，他与同时代的苏格拉底一样，是一位著名的思想家、哲学家和教育家。孔子提出的“和谐万邦”“仁者爱人”等思想是全世界共同的精神财富，对当今世界处理好人与人、国与国之间关系都有很强的借鉴意义。

　　在21世纪的今天，如果孔子都被视作威胁，我很难想象还有什么不是威胁。孔子学院是中方与外方大学在自愿基础上成立的非盈利中文教育机构，其教育和文化活动都是公开透明的，与法语联盟、德国歌德学院、西班牙塞万提斯学院性质是一样的。

You may have noticed that under the pressure of a certain country, some EU member states are suspending their cooperation on the Confucius Institute. There is a tendency here in Europe. Many Europeans know Confucius very well. Like Socrates, he was a great philosopher, thinker and educator. The two great persons almost lived in the same period. Confucius put forward a lot of useful ideas, like peace under heaven, harmony among nations, and benevolence. These philosophies are highly relevant still today for us to approach interpersonal relations and state-to-state relations.

In the 21st century, if even Confucius is seen as a threat, then I could not think of anything else that could not be a threat. The Confucius Institute is a non-profit organization jointly established on a voluntary basis between Chinese and foreign universities. Its main purpose is to teach Chinese and Chinese civilization. The cultural and educational activities are totally open and transparent. It is similar to the French Alliance, the Goethe Institute of Germany and the Instituto Cervantes.