Transcript of Ambassador Zhang Ming's Interview on BRI with BBC

　　2019年4月25日，在第二届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛在京举行之际，驻欧盟使团团长张明大使接受英国广播公司（BBC）专访，以下是文字实录：

　　BBC: 大使，谢谢您抽空接受我们的采访。您可否概述一下中国如何看待“一带一路”倡议？

As the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is about to open in Beijing, Ambassador Zhang Ming, Head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, took an exclusive interview with BBC on 25 April. The following is the transcript:

BBC: Ambassador, thank you so much for making time for us. I wonder if you would just outline for us how China exactly sees the Belt and Road Initiative?

　　张明大使：为期三天的第二届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛于今天起举行。出席本届高峰论坛的各方代表数量多，级别高。来自37个国家的国家元首或政府首脑将与会。欧盟、德国、法国、英国、西班牙等将派出高级别代表。布鲁塞尔方面，欧委会副主席谢夫乔维奇将作为容克主席特别代表出席论坛。

Zhang: As you know, the second Belt and Road Forum starts this morning, and will last till the day after tomorrow. It has a high-level and wide representation. Heads of state or government from 37 countries will participate. The EU, Germany, France, the UK, Spain, among others, will send high-level representatives. From Brussels, Vice President Šefčovič of the European Commission will attend as the special envoy of President Juncker.

　　“一带一路”倡议提出已六年，仍相对年轻。本届高峰论坛为盘点“一带一路”建设取得的成果和规划未来合作提供了良好契机。六年来，“一带一路”成为广受欢迎的公共产品。我们欢迎各方参与，当然，这种参与是建立在自愿基础上的。

　　“一带一路”合作正呈现强劲增长势头。目前，已有126个国家和29个国际组织同中国签署了共建“一带一路”合作文件。

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is six years old. Very young. The forum is a good opportunity for stocktaking and future planning. In the past six years, the BRI has become a well-received public good. Every one is welcome to join. Of course, such participation is voluntary.

The BRI cooperation has registered a strong growth momentum. So far, 126 countries and 29 international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China.

　　BBC：这确实是个年轻的倡议，但已有人批评中国政府提出这一倡议的动机。一些观点认为，中方希望以此争夺全球主导地位。还有人认为，这是中方为应对经济放缓提出的刺激计划，但会造成其它参与国陷入债务陷阱。您对此怎么看?

　　张明大使:“一带一路”倡议的逻辑不是追求霸权。历史上，我们就有古丝绸之路，那是开放互鉴的象征。“一带一路”倡议旨在重新发扬这种精神。

BBC: It is a young initiative. But there have been criticisms of the motivations of Beijing with this initiative. There are those who argue it is a campaign for global dominance. A stimulus package for a slowing economy, but one which is resulting in capturing the countries that are involved in it into a trap of debt. What's your view of that?

Zhang: The logic of the BRI is not about seeking supremacy. In history, we had the ancient Silk Road, a symbol for openness and mutual learning. The BRI aims to revive that spirit.