Speech at the Reception Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between China and Ireland as well as Marking His Assumption of Office

--by Ambassador He Xiangdong

尊敬的弗拉纳根部长，

女士们，先生们，朋友们，

　　晚上好！

　　很高兴作为中华人民共和国第14任驻爱尔兰大使，在抵达翡翠之国刚刚一个多月后，与大家欢聚在都柏林会议中心这个标志性的地方，共同庆祝两国建交40周年。

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

Good evening and welcome!

As the 14th Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Ireland, I am very pleased to join you all just over one month after my arrival in the Emerald Island, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries at this landmark place, the Convention Centre Dublin.

　　我抵达爱尔兰后，很多爱方朋友都说我来得恰逢其时，对此我深为赞同。当前，中爱关系正处在前所未有的最好时期，能在此时出任驻爱尔兰大使，我深感荣幸。

　　今晚招待会的主题是庆祝中爱建交40周年。其实，早在两国建交很久之前,中爱人民之间的交流与文化之间的交融就已经十分密切。中爱之间的交往至少可追溯到马尔戛尼、赫德这两位与爱尔兰有关的历史人物。爱尔兰最伟大的作家之一奥斯卡·王尔德曾从2000多年前中国哲人庄子那里找到强烈共鸣和灵感。20世纪早期，王尔德、叶芝、萧伯纳在中国知识界就已广受欢迎。

Since my coming to Ireland, many friends here have kept telling me that I came at a right time, which I could not agree more. It is a great honor for me to assume the post of Chinese Ambassador to Ireland when the relations between China and Ireland has reached a stage unmatched in history.

The main theme of this reception is to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between our two countries. Actually, the exchanges between our two peoples and two cultures had already started long before that. The early contacts between China and Ireland could at least be traced back to two names which are related to Ireland, George Maccartney and Robert Hart. One of the greatest Irish writers, Oscar Wilde, found strong resonance and inspiration in Zhuang Zi, a great Chinese philosopher of more than 2000 years ago. In the early 20th century, Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw had built their reputation among the Chinese intellectual community.

　　在近代历史上，中爱两国人民都曾经历贫困和饥饿，都有着反抗压迫、争取民族独立的相似经历。中国人民不会忘记，1933年，正当中国人民遭受外来武装侵略之时，爱尔兰文学巨匠萧伯纳到访中国，对中国民族独立和国家革命给予声援和支持，在中爱关系史上留下了一段佳话。

In modern history, both the people of China and the people of Ireland went through poverty and hunger, and shared a similar experience of resisting foreign oppression and striving for national independence. The Chinese people will not forget that in 1933, when we suffered from foreign invasion, George Bernard Shaw visited China and showed the strong support of the people of Ireland for China's national war for freedom and liberation, which became a much-told story of China-Ireland friendship.

　　1979年6月22日，中国与爱尔兰两国政府代表签署建交公报，开启了中爱两国关系的新篇章。40年来，在两国领导人的关心和指引下，在致力于推动两国关系发展的中爱各界人士的共同努力下，双方坚持建交公报中所阐明的“相互尊重主权和领土完整、互不干涉内政、平等互利”原则，积极开展各领域友好合作，推动中爱关系取得了前所未有的飞跃式发展。

　　中爱高层交往频繁密切。江泽民主席、习近平主席和朱镕基总理、温家宝总理、李克强总理等中国领导人都曾到访爱尔兰。希勒里总统、麦卡利斯总统、希金斯总统和埃亨总理、科恩总理、肯尼总理等爱领导人先后访华。两国高层往来为中爱关系发展指引了方向。

On June 22, 1979, representatives of the Chinese and Irish governments signed a Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and Ireland, marking a brand-new chapter in China-Ireland relations. In the past 40 years, under the care and guidance of Chinese and Irish leaders, and with the joint efforts of those committed to the bilateral relations, our two countries have adhered to the principles of "mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit" as stated in the Communique, and positively carried out friendly cooperation in various fields, pushing forward relations between China and Ireland to an unprecedented level of development.

High-level exchanges between our two countries are now frequent. Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, President Xi Jinping, former Premiers Zhu Rongji and Wen Jiabao along with Premier Li Keqiang have all visited Ireland. Former Irish Presidents Patrick Hillery and Mary McAleese, President Michael D. Higgins, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen and Enda Kenny have all visited China. These high-level exchanges provide solid direction for the positive development of China-Ireland relations.