Remarks of AMB.Cui Tiankai at the Working Lunch of Roundtable Discussion Between CSIS and RDCY

很荣幸再次来到美国战略与国际问题研究中心（CSIS），每次到访这里都让我得到启发，有所收获，特别是今天在座的还有我的一些老同事、老朋友和来自中国人民大学重阳金融研究院的学者。

　　在英语中，“Think Tank”一词的意思可望文生义、一目了然，但翻译成中文“智库”，则意思要更复杂些。“智库”实际上意味着“智慧的储备”，不仅要求思考，还要求明智地思考，今天这个讨论也准确反映了这一解释。因此，我在跟智库交流时始终心存敬畏，态度谦逊。我在这里并非想要提出什么智慧的见解，只希望能与你们分享一些常识。

It's always been a great pleasure to come back to the Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS), especially with my old friends and colleagues today. I feel inspired every time I come here, particularly so as we have Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China(RDCY) with us today.

The term "think tank" is very clear and easy to understand in English. But its Chinese equivalent 智库("Zhiku")is more sophisticated. It literally means a reservoir with wisdom. It not only requires people to think, but also to think wisely. I am sure this is how we should describe the discussions today, which makes me a little bit humbled and scared whenever I am invited to speak to think tanks. I do not intend to offer you anything of wisdom, but rather something that carries common sense. 

　　坦率讲，当前我们面临一个很大的问题。一些人虽然身居高位，或需要在经济、战略问题上向国家领导人和政府部门建言献策，但他们却缺乏足够的常识。这些人相信，他们可以无视经济规律，破坏全球供应链，却不会对自身经济造成任何损害；他们可以永远垄断新技术，阻止他人创新并从技术进步中获益；他们可以通过指责别人来逃避肩负的重责，比如解决国内日益严重的经济社会分化问题等；他们可以通过四处树敌来让自己变得“伟大“。正是这种思维方式增加了当前国际关系的不确定性，给中美双边关系，特别是经贸关系带来困难。

Honestly speaking, we are facing a big problem. Some people who are in high places or are advising the government and leaders on economic and strategic issues don't have sufficient common sense. For instance, they believe that they could disrupt the global supply chain in defiance of all the economic imperatives without any damage to their own economy. They believe that they might keep monopoly of innovation forever and prevent others from making innovations and benefiting from technological progress. They believe that they could point finger at others and escape the heavy responsibility of addressing the increasing economic and social divides at home. They believe that they could make themselves great by making everyone else their enemies. I think it is such a mindset that could go a long way to account for the current uncertainties in international relations and difficulties in our bilateral relations, especially on trade and economic issues.