Keynote Speech by Ambassador Cui Tiankai At Vision China Event
女士们，先生们，
很高兴来到“新时代大讲堂”，今天的主题是“中美关系40年：回顾与展望”。回望建交以来的40年，中美关系历经风雨，砥砺前行，取得了当年人们难以想象的巨大成就，给两国17亿人乃至全球70亿人带来了巨大福祉，有力促进了世界和平、稳定和发展。
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to attend the Vision China event and the timing could not be better. This year marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between China and the US. And when we look back, we see tremendous achievements indeed. Our relations have brought huge benefits to the 1.7 billion Chinese and American people, and greatly advanced peace, stability and development across the globe. But as today's theme suggests we must also use the occasion to look beyond these years. What will the next 40 years look like? What role can China-US cooperation play in shaping our shared future?
在这本应“不惑”的年份，我们却发现在中美关系中出现了不应有的“惑”，“贸易战”绵延未息，美方一些人还在鼓吹与中国“新冷战”、有限甚至完全脱钩。中美关系再次走到历史十字路口，面临何去何从的大问题。越是这样的时候，我们越要追根溯源，深入探讨一些最根本也可能最简单的问题。
As Confucius said, "At forty I had no more perplexities". While we celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations, there are still some perplexities in China-US relations. The trade war is still taking tolls. There are still noises in America, clamoring for a new Cold War or for partial and even complete decoupling of the two countries. The China-US relationship has come to another historical crossroads and needed to decide its future direction. At such an important time as this, it is all the more necessary to address some simple yet fundamental questions.
首先是，中美关系出现问题症结何在？美方一些人说，是中国变了，变得强大了、强势了，要取代美国、要称霸。我认为，问题不在中国本身，而在于美方对中国的认知出现了偏差。
几周后，我们将隆重庆祝中华人民共和国成立70周年。70年来特别是改革开放40年来，中国发生了举世瞩目的变化，取得了巨大的发展。
First, what is the crux of the problems between China and the US? Some Americans blame a rising China who they claim will displace the US to be the world's new hegemon. But I do not see the onus on the side of China. It is how America perceives China that should be held to account.
In a couple of weeks' time, we will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China. Over the past 70 years and especially over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, China has experienced tremendous transformation and made great strides forward.
简单说，这是一个拥有数千年历史的文明古国不断走向现代化的进程。中国人民从当家做主站起来，到改革开放富起来，现在又走在强起来的道路上。这是不可阻挡的历史进程，外界称之为新兴，其实准确地说，是我们这个伟大民族的复兴。
To put it simply, this is a modernization drive of an ancient civilization with thousands of years of history. All the way from founding the People's Republic in 1949, to launching reform and opening-up in 1978, to where we are right now, the Chinese people has stood up, grown rich and become strong. This is an unstoppable trend of history. This is what people call "the rise of China". To be exact, this will lead to the "re-rise" or rejuvenation of China.
尽管国内生产总值（GDP）等数据耀眼，但中国仍是一个发展中国家。人均GDP不到美国的1/6，还有贫困现象，不同地区、不同人群之间贫富差距较大。当前中国社会主要矛盾已经转变为人民日益增长的美好生活需要同不平衡、不充分的发展之间的矛盾。我们还有很多硬任务，例如防范化解重大风险、精准脱贫、污染防治等。同时，我们高度依赖海外市场和能源供应，金融体系改革尚未完成，易受外部因素冲击。况且中国还没有实现统一。我们对面前的挑战有着清醒的认识。
However, even with some dazzling GDP figures, China remains a developing country. Its per capita GDP is no more than 1/6 of that of America. Poverty still exists. The wealth gap between different regions and between different income groups is still yawning. The principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into one between unbalanced and inadequate growth and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life. To address this contradiction, we still have some tough nuts to crack: to prevent and resolve systemic risks, eliminate poverty, prevent and control pollution and etc. In addition, our dependence on the external market and energy supply, as well as unfinished reform of the financial sector, makes us vulnerable to external shocks. And more importantly China has not yet achieved reunification. We know clearly what challenges we face.
上一篇：常驻联合国副代表吴海涛大使在安理会中东巴勒斯坦问题公开会上的发言（中英对照）
下一篇：驻英国大使刘晓明在纪录片《中国的宝藏》推介会上的致辞《让中国的宝藏绽放新时代光彩》（中英对照）
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