刘晓明大使在伦敦春节庆典上的讲话

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Chinese New Year Celebrations in London

尊敬的大伦敦市市长卡恩先生，尊敬的西敏市市长亚当斯先生，尊敬的西敏市议会议长艾肯女士，尊敬的国务院侨办副主任谭天星先生，尊敬的伦敦华埠商会主席邓柱廷先生，女士们，先生们，朋友们：

Mayor Sadiq Khan, Lord Mayor Ian Adams, Councillor Nickie Aiken, Deputy Director Tan Tianxing, Chairman Chu Ting Tang, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends:

大家过年好！

Happy Chinese New Year!

很高兴在春意盎然、万象更新的时节出席特拉法加广场春节庆典。今天是中国农历狗年大年初三，值此金狗迎春之际，我祝大家狗年事业兴旺，家庭和睦，吉祥如意，幸福安康！

It is a real delight to join you on this beautiful spring day here in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the Chinese New Year. On this third day of the new year, I wish you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Dog!

今年是2018年，今天是2月18日，也是特拉法加广场春节庆典举办第16个年头。“16”在中文中谐音“要顺”，“18”谐音“要发”，狗年又有“兴旺”之意。今年寓意“又顺、又发、又旺”，是一个非常吉祥如意的年份，一定会给我们每个人都带来好运。

Today, 18th February 2018, we are celebrating the Chinese New Year in Trafalgar Square for the 16th time. All these Chinese lucky numbers indicate that today is a most auspicious day. 16 symbolizes "smooth". 18 stands for "making a fortune". Moreover, the barking of the dog sounds similar to the Chinese word "wang" which means "prosperous". All these make today a smooth day in a prosperous year that promises a huge fortune.

今年也是我第8次出席特拉法加广场春节庆典，可以说是“发上加发”，双喜临门。8年来，我见证广场春节庆典规模越来越大，节目越来越丰富，“朋友圈”越来越广，不仅成为伦敦年初重要文化盛事，也成为亚洲地区之外规模最大的春节庆祝活动，更成为中英人文交流和民间友谊的“三大庆典”：

What is more, this is my eighth Trafalgar Square celebration. Eight is another lucky number. With this happy coincidence, I wish everyone double happiness. Over the past eight years, I have seen this annual extravaganza drawing an ever larger crowd and the programmes getting better and more colourful, making Trafalgar Square the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia.