Speech by Consul General Long Zhou at the Executive Wealth Circle Gala Dinner

　　2019年9月7日，驻墨尔本总领事龙舟应邀出席财富精英圈主办的年度慈善晚宴并致辞。财富精英圈主席罗培诗女士、维多利亚州反对党领袖迈克尔·奥布赖恩、维多利亚州上议员布鲁斯·阿特金森、墨尔本市长萨莉·凯普、市议员刘乐、澳前贸易部长安德鲁·罗布等中澳政商界250余人出席。龙舟总领事致辞全文如下：

女士们，先生们，朋友们，

　　大家晚上好！很高兴出席今晚财富精英圈举办的慈善晚宴。感谢罗培诗女士的邀请及您和董事会成员为促进亚洲国家与澳大利亚人民交流所做积极贡献。

Ms. Susan Gin, Chairperson of EWC, 

Hon. Michael O'Brian MP, 

Hon. Bruce Atkinson MLC, 

Lord Mayor, Sally Capp, 

Mr.Philip Liu, Councillor of the City of Melbourne, 

Hon. Andrew Robb, Former Australian Trade Minister, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Dear Friends,

Good evening! It's a real delight and an honor to join all of you tonight at the Charity Gala Dinner hosted by Executive Wealth Circle. Thank you, Susan, for the invitation and the valuable contribution of you and other board members to building the communities between Asian and Australian people.

　　今年财富精英圈的专题研讨会主题是“变革带来繁荣”。很遗憾我没有参加讨论，但我相信，大家在研讨会上展开了有益的讨论。

　　女士们，先生们，

　　当今世界正处于百年未有之大变局。重塑当今世界的变化是什么？这些变化背后的驱动力是什么？每个人都有自己的解读，回答上述问题的角度也不尽相同。

I was told that the topic of this year's the Thematic Symposium is "Prosper from Changes". It is a pity that I couldn't have joined the discussion. But I believe you have demonstrated your vision in the symposium by identifying and exploring ways and means to respond to and prosper from the wind of changes. Congratulations!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Indeed, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. What are the changes reshaping the world today? What are the driving forces behind the changes? Everybody has his or her own readings. There are different angles to answer the questions.

　　当今世界正处于大发展大变革大调整之中，国际环境总体稳定，大国关系深入调整；经济全球化持续发展，保护主义、民粹思潮抬头；世界多极化加速推进，地缘博弈和地区动荡加剧；新科技新思潮不断涌现，人类生产生活方式深刻变化。回望百年，有人忧心二战结束以来的国际秩序正濒于崩溃，说人类再次走到了十字路口。

　　变化给地缘政治、经济、技术、社会和文化等许多领域带来了机遇和挑战。由于时间关系，我不一一详述。我的哲学老师曾告诉我，经济基础决定上层建筑。下面，我重点从技术和经济发展的层面谈一谈。

We meet at a time of major development, transformation and adjustment in the world. While the international environment remains generally stable, profound shifts are taking place in the relations between major countries. The economic globalization continues to advance, accompanied by mounting protectionism and populist ideologies. Accelerated movement toward a multipolar world goes hand in hand with intensifying geopolitical rivalry and regional turbulence. The emergence of new technologies and new thinkings is profoundly changing the way people live and work. A review of the past century has led some to express fears that the post-war international order is teetering on the edge and that humanity has once again come to a crossroads.

Changes bring opportunities and challenges in geopolitical, economic, technological, social, cultural fields. For the sake of time, I would not elaborate each of them. My philosophy teacher taught me, "the economic base determines the superstructure". Therefore, let me focus a bit on the technological and economic aspects.