篇一：总理剑桥演讲全文
国务院总理温家宝2日在英国剑桥大学具有500年历史的“瑞德讲坛”发表了题为《用发展的眼光看中国》的演讲。全文如下：
用发展的眼光看中国
━━在剑桥大学的演讲
中华人民共和国国务院总理 温家宝
尊敬的理查德校长，
女士们，先生们：
来到向往已久的剑桥大学，非常高兴。剑桥举世闻名，培养出牛顿、达尔文、培根等许多杰出的科学家、思想家，为人类文明进步作出了重要贡献。今年是剑桥建校800周年，我谨致以热烈祝贺！
这是我第四次访问英国。中英相距遥远，但两国人民的友好交往不断增多。香港问题的圆满解决，经贸、文教、科技等领域的有效合作，为发展中英全面战略伙伴关系奠定了坚实基础。在此，我向长期致力于中英友好的朋友们表示崇高的敬意！
今天，我演讲的题目是：用发展的眼光看中国。
我深深爱着的祖国——古老而又年轻。
说她古老，她是一个有着数千年文明史的东方大国。中华民族以自己的勤劳和智慧，创造了灿烂的古代文明，对人类发展作出过重大贡献。
说她年轻，新中国成立才60年，改革开放才30年。中国人民经过长期不懈的斗争建立了新中国，又经过艰苦的探索，终于找到了适合国情的发展道路——中国特色社会主义道路，文明古国焕发了青春活力。
中国改革开放，最重要的是解放思想，最根本、最具有长远意义的是体制创新。我们推进经济体制改革，建立了社会主义市场经济体制。在政府的宏观调控下，充分发挥市场对资源配置的基础性作用。我们深化政治体制改革，把发展民主和完善法制结合起来，实行人民当家作主，依法治国，建设社会主义法治国家。
改革开放的实质，就是坚持以人为本，通过解放和发展生产力满足人们日益增长的物质文化需求，在公正的条件下促进人的全面发展；就是保障人民的民主权利，让国家政通人和、兴
旺发达；就是维护人的尊严和自由，让每个人的智慧和力量得以迸发，成功地追求自己的幸福生活。
30年来，中国贫困人口减少了2亿多，人均寿命提高了5岁，8300万残疾人得到政府和社会的特殊关爱，这是中国保障人权的光辉业绩。九年免费义务教育的推行，农村合作医疗制度的建立，社会保障体系的完善，使学有所教、病有所医、老有所养的理想，正在变为现实。
我愿借用两句唐诗形容中国的现状：“潮平两岸阔，风正一帆悬。”中国人正在努力实现现代化，这是一个古而又新的发展中大国进行的一场伟大实践。掌握了自己命运的中国人民，对未来充满信心！
我深深爱着的祖国——历经磨难而又自强不息。
我年轻时曾长期工作在中国的西北地区。在那浩瀚的沙漠中，生长着一种稀有的树种，叫胡杨。它扎根地下50多米，抗干旱、斗风沙、耐盐碱，生命力极其顽强。它“生而一千年不死，死而一千年不倒，倒而一千年不朽”，世人称为英雄树。我非常喜欢胡杨，它是中华民族坚韧不拔精神的象征。
千百年来，中华民族一次次战胜了天灾人祸，渡过了急流险滩，昂首挺胸地走到今天。深重的灾难，铸就了她百折不挠、自强不息的品格。中华民族的历史证明了一个真理：一个民族在灾难中失去的，必将从民族的进步中得到补偿。
此时此刻，我不禁想起在汶川地震灾区的亲身经历。去年5月，四川汶川发生震惊世界的特大地震，北川中学被夷为平地，孩子伤亡惨重。可是，时隔10天，当我第二次来到这里时，乡亲们已在废墟上搭起了板房教室，校园里又回荡着孩子们朗朗的读书声。当时我在黑板上，给同学们写下了“多难兴邦”几个字。地震发生以来，我7次到汶川灾区，碰到这样感人的事迹不胜枚举。我为我们中华民族这种愈挫愈奋的精神深深感动。这种伟大的精神，正是我们的民族饱经忧患而愈益坚强、生生不息的力量源泉。
经过半个多世纪的艰苦奋斗，中国有了比较大的发展，经济总量跃居世界前列，但我们仍然是一个发展中国家，同发达国家相比还有很大的差距。人口多，底子薄，发展不平衡，这种基本国情还没有从根本上得到改变。中国的人均ＧＤＰ水平，排在世界100位之后，仅为英国的1／16左右。到过中国旅游的朋友，你们所看到的城市是现代的，而我们的农村还比较落后。
到本世纪中叶，中国要基本实现现代化，面临三大历史任务：既要努力实现欧洲早已完成的工业化，又要追赶新科技革命的浪潮；既要不断提高经济发展水平，又要实现社会公平正义；既要实现国内的可持续发展，又要承担相应的国际责任。中国要赶上发达国家水平，还有很长很长的路要走，还会遇到许多艰难险阻。但是，任何困难都阻挡不住中国人民前进的步伐，只要我们坚持不懈地努力奋斗，中国现代化的目标就一定能够实现。
我深深爱着的祖国——珍视传统而又开放兼容。
中华传统文化底蕴深厚、博大精深。“和”在中国古代历史上被奉为最高价值，是中华文化
的精髓。中国古老的经典——《尚书》就提出“百姓昭明，协和万邦”的理想，主张人民和睦相处，国家友好往来。
“和为贵”的文化传统，哺育了中华民族宽广博大的胸怀。我们的民族，既能像大地承载万物一样，宽厚包容；又能像苍天刚健运行一样，彰显正义。
15世纪，中国著名航海家郑和七下西洋，到过三十几个国家。他带去了中国的茶叶、丝绸、瓷器，还帮助沿途有的国家剿灭海盗，真正做到了播仁爱于友邦。
国强必霸，不适合中国。称霸，既有悖于我们的文化传统，也违背中国人民意志。中国的发展不损害任何人，也不威胁任何人。中国要做和平的大国、学习的大国、合作的大国，致力于建设一个和谐的世界。
不同国家、不同民族的文化，需要相互尊重、相互包容和相互学习。今天的中国，有3亿人在学英语，有100多万青年人在国外留学。我们的电视、广播、出版等新闻传媒，天天都在介绍世界各地的文化艺术。正因为我们善于在交流中学习，在借鉴中收获，才有今天中国的繁荣和进步。
进入21世纪，经济全球化、信息网络化，已经把世界连成一体，文化的发展将不再是各自封闭的，而是在相互影响中多元共存。一个国家、一个民族对人类文化贡献的大小，越来越取决于她吸收外来文化的能力和自我更新的能力。中国将永远坚持开放兼容的方针，既珍视传统，又博采众长，用文明的方式、和谐的方式实现经济繁荣和社会进步。
女士们，先生们！
我之所以强调用发展的眼光看中国，就是因为世界在变，中国也在变。如今的中国，早已不是一百年前封闭落后的旧中国，也不是30年前贫穷僵化的中国。经过改革开放，中国的面貌已焕然一新。北京奥运会向世界展示的，就是这样一个古老、多彩和现代的中国。我希望朋友们，多到中国走一走、看一看，了解今天的中国人究竟在想什么、做什么、关心什么。这样，有助于你们认识一个真实的、不断发展变化着的中国，也有助于你们了解中国是如何应对当前这场全球性金融危机的。
在这场前所未有的世界金融危机中，中国和包括英国在内的欧洲都受到严重冲击。现在危机尚未见底，由此可能带来的各种严重后果还难以预料。合作应对、共渡难关，是我们的首要任务。
我认为，应对全球性危机，需要增进合作。有多大程度的相互信任，就可能有多大程度的合作。中国政府主张：第一，要首先办好各国自己的事情，不把麻烦推给别人；第二，要精诚合作，不搞以邻为壑；第三，要标本兼治，不能头疼医头、脚疼医脚。我在达沃斯会议上已重申，应该对国际货币金融体系进行必要的改革，建立公平、公正、包容、有序的国际金融新秩序，努力营造有利于全球经济发展的制度环境。
这里我想谈一谈中国是如何应对这场金融危机的。
金融危机对中国实体经济的影响日益显现。从去年第三季度以来，出口大幅下滑，经济增速放缓，就业压力加大。中国经济面临着严峻的局面。面对危机，我们果断决策，及时调整宏观经济政策取向，迅速出台扩大国内需求的十项措施，陆续制定了一系列政策，形成了系统完整的促进经济平稳较快发展的一揽子计划。主要包括以下几个方面：
一是大规模增加政府支出扩大内需。
中国政府推出了以财政支出带动社会投资，总额达4万亿元的两年计划，规模相当于2007年中国ＧＤＰ的16％。主要投向保障性安居工程、农村民生工程、铁路交通等基础设施、社会事业、生态环保建设和地震灾后恢复重建。中国政府还推出了大规模的减税计划，一年可减轻企业和居民负担约5000亿元。我们还大幅度降息和增加银行体系流动性，出台了一系列金融措施。
二是大范围实施产业调整振兴计划。
我们全面推进产业结构调整和优化升级，制定汽车、钢铁等十个重点产业的调整和振兴规划。我们采取经济和技术的措施，大力推进节能减排，推进企业兼并重组，提高产业集中度和资源配置效率。我们鼓励和支持企业广泛应用新技术、新工艺、新设备、新材料，开发适销对路产品。
三是大力推进科技进步和创新。
科技是克服金融危机的根本力量。每一场大的危机常常伴随一场新的科技革命；每一次经济的复苏，都离不开技术创新。我们加快实施国家中长期科学和技术发展规划，特别是核心电子器件、核能开发利用、高档数控机床等16个重大专项，突破一批核心技术和关键共性技术，为中国经济在更高水平上实现可持续发展提供科技支撑。推动发展高新技术产业群，培育新的经济增长点。我们就是要依靠科学技术的重大突破，创造新的社会需求，催生新一轮的经济繁荣。
四是大幅度提高社会保障水平。
继续提高企业退休人员基本养老金，提高失业保险金和工伤保险金标准，提高城乡低保、农村五保等保障水平。积极推进医药卫生体制改革，力争用三年时间基本建成覆盖全国城乡的基本医疗卫生制度，初步实现人人享有基本医疗卫生服务。我们坚持优先发展教育，正在制定《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要》。我们实施更加积极的就业政策，重点解决高校毕业生和农民工就业问题。开辟就业岗位，缓解就业压力。
我们采取这些措施，把扩大国内需求、调整振兴产业、加强科技支撑、强化社会保障结合起来，把拉动经济增长和改善民生、增加就业结合起来，把克服当前困难和促进长远发展结合起来。这样做，有利于中国的发展，也将给包括英国在内的世界各国企业带来巨大的商机。
这场百年一遇的金融危机，留给世人的思考是沉重的。它警示人们，对现行的经济体制和经济理论，应该进行深刻的反思。
中国曾长期实行高度集中的计划经济，把计划看成是绝对的，束缚了生产力的发展。这场金融危机使我们看到，市场也不是万能的，一味放任自由，势必引起经济秩序的混乱和社会分配的不公，最终受到惩罚。真正的市场化改革，决不会把市场机制与国家宏观调控对立起来。既要发挥市场这只看不见的手的作用，又要发挥政府和社会监管这只看得见的手的作用。两手都要硬，两手同时发挥作用，才能实现按照市场规律配置资源，也才能使资源配置合理、协调、平衡、可持续。
国际金融危机再次告诉人们，不受监管的市场经济是多么可怕。从上世纪90年代以来，一些经济体疏于监管，一些金融机构受利益驱动，利用数十倍的金融杠杆进行超额融资，在获取高额利润的同时，把巨大的风险留给整个世界。这充分说明，不受管理的市场经济是注定行不通的。因此，必须处理好金融创新与金融监管的关系、虚拟经济与实体经济的关系、储蓄与消费的关系。
有效应对这场危机，还必须高度重视道德的作用。道德是世界上最伟大的，道德的光芒甚至比阳光还要灿烂。真正的经济学理论，决不会同最高的伦理道德准则产生冲突。经济学说应该代表公正和诚信，平等地促进所有人，包括最弱势人群的福祉。被誉为现代经济学之父的亚当·斯密在《道德情操论》中指出：“如果一个社会的经济发展成果不能真正分流到大众手中，那么它在道义上将是不得人心的，而且是有风险的，因为它注定要威胁社会稳定。”道德缺失是导致这次金融危机的一个深层次原因。一些人见利忘义，损害公众利益，丧失了道德底线。我们应该倡导：企业要承担社会责任，企业家身上要流淌着道德的血液。
女士们，先生们！
英国是我这次欧洲之行的最后一站。这次访问，加深了我对欧洲的了解。中欧合作已经站在一个新的历史起点上。我对中欧发展全面战略伙伴关系更加充满信心。我们之间不存在历史遗留问题，也不存在根本利害冲突。中欧合作基础坚实，前景光明。英国是最早进入现代化的国家，你们在发展经济、保护环境等方面，都有许多成功的经验。我们愿意向你们学习，加强交流与合作。
未来属于青年一代。中英关系的美好前景要靠青年去开拓。抚今追昔，我想起对中英文化交流作出重要贡献的剑桥校友李约瑟博士。他的鸿篇巨著《中国科学技术史》，在东西方两大文明之间架起了一座桥梁。继承传统、勇于创新，是剑桥大学的优秀品格。希望更多的剑桥人关注中国，用发展的眼光看中国，做中英交流的友好使者。我相信，只要中英两国青年相互学习，携手共进，一定会谱写出中英关系的崭新篇章。
谢谢大家！
篇二：驻英国大使刘晓明在英国剑桥大学的演讲--中英文对照
成功的道路，全面的发展
——驻英国大使刘晓明在英国剑桥大学的演讲
英国剑桥大学嘉治商学院
2011年2月22日
The Road to Success and Comprehensive Development
--Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the University of Cambridge
Judge Business School, University of Cambridge
22 February 2011
尊敬的剑桥大学校长博里塞维奇爵士，
老师们，
同学们：
Vice Chancellor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz,
Faculty members,
Students,
很高兴应博里塞维奇校长的邀请访问剑桥大学并作演讲。
It is my great pleasure and privilege to visit Cambridge at the invitation of the Vice Chancellor and to speak at the Judge Business School.
这是我出使英国后第一次来到剑桥，但我对剑桥丝毫没有陌生感。
This is my first visit to Cambridge as Chinese Ambassador to the UK. Yet Cambridge is no stranger to me.
虽然我到英国后先去了牛津，但我知道“牛津出首相、剑桥出诺贝尔奖”这句佳话，知道剑桥大学校友获得了88个诺贝尔奖，相当于英国所获诺奖的总和，在世界所有大学中保持最
高纪录。
I heard a saying: "If you want to meet prime ministers, go to Oxford; but for Nobel Prize winners, go to Cambridge". Cambridge alumni won 88 Nobel Prizes, as many as the prizes won by Britain as a country, ranking first in all the universities around the world.
我最早相识剑桥，是因为徐志摩先生在这里留下了《再别康桥》这样的千古绝唱，也是因为李约瑟博士在这里写就了鸿篇巨著《中国科学技术史》。
I first got to know Cambridge from Chinese poet Xu Zhimo who wrote his best-known poem Farewell to Cambridge, and later from Dr Joseph Needham who wrote and edited the epic series Science and Civilisation in China.
我第一次走进“剑桥”，是29年前我在美国塔夫茨大学弗莱彻学院读书的时候。当时弗莱彻学院由塔夫茨大学和哈佛大学共同管理，两院校图书馆使用统一索引，我经常去位于“剑桥”的哈佛大学图书馆查阅资料。
My first visit to a place called Cambridge was 29 years ago when I was a student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, which was then jointly administered by Tufts and Harvard. As Fletcher and Harvard shared the same library call number, I went to the Harvard Cambridge Library quite often.
今天，我走进“正宗”的剑桥，这既是一次工作性质的访问，推动剑桥大学与中国的教育合作，也是一次个人的精神寻旅，品味剑桥800年的文化积淀。当然，我也愿就大家关心的中国话题，与你们交流讨论。
Today I have finally come to the real Cambridge, both on a personal journey to fulfil a long-cherished dream of seeing Cambridge and experiencing its 800-year heritage and on an official visit to discuss educational cooperation and to talk about China.
上周，根据中日两国的最新GDP统计数字，中国正式超过日本成为了世界第二大经济体。世界上各大媒体都将此作为热点新闻进行报道。世界再次聚焦中国，围绕中国问题的讨论一直方兴未艾，现在再次升温。我总结了一下人们热议的几个问题：一是中国成为世界第二说明了什么？二是中国是否很快会成为世界第一？三是中国能否持续高速发展？四是中国发展对世界意味什么？今天，我想就这些问题谈谈我的看法。
Last week one of the headline news was that China has officially overtaken Japan as the world's second largest economy. This has put China in the limelight once again and stoked an ongoing discussion about China. Many questions were asked: What does China being the second largest economy tell us? How soon is China going to be number one? Will China be able to sustain such rapid growth? What does China's development mean to the world? The list can go on and on. But these are the most asked questions. Let me share my thoughts about these questions.
首先，中国成为世界第二大经济体说明什么？我认为，它说明了中国发展道路的成功。
First question: What does it tell us that China rolls in at number two? I think it tells the successful story of China's development.
中国为什么会取得如此成功？中国成功的经验是什么？中国成功靠走适合自己国情的道路。一个十三亿人口的大国，一个有五千年文明历史的古国，该走什么样的道路才能发展，教科书上没有现成的答案，历史上也没有可以参考的先例。但中国人“摸着石头过河”，牢牢把握自己的国情，不断探索实践，开拓创新，借鉴吸取世界各国有益经验，实现了天翻地覆的变化。
The secret of China's success is simple and open. That is China has found a development model well suited to its national conditions. How should we go about developing a country with 1.3 billion people and a history of 5 thousand years? Neither textbooks nor history has given us the ready answer. As Mr Deng Xiaoping termed it, we managed to "cross the river by feeling for the stones". We explored our way forward in a pioneering spirit by combining the useful experiences of other countries with the unique circumstances of China.
中国成功靠“改革开放”。开放，不仅是经济上的对外开放，从封闭半封闭到全方位、多层次、宽领域对外开放，更是思想头脑的解放，社会的自由宽松，政府的公开透明。改革，不仅是改革经济制度，将高度集中的计划经济体制改革为充满生机和活力的社会主义市场经济体制，也是政治、社会、文化的全面改革和建设。
China's success also lies in its commitment to reform and opening-up. Opening-up means embracing the global economy at every level and in every area. But it is much more than that. It also means freeing your mind, fostering a more open and diverse society. It means nurturing a culture of open and transparent government. Reform is about transforming the planned economy to a vibrant socialist market economy. It is also about making comprehensive progress in political, social and cultural spheres.
西方有些人认为，中国只搞经济改革，不搞政治改革。这是对中国全面改革的一种误解。事实上，30多年来，中国的经济体制改革每推进一步，政治体制改革也深化一步。人民代表大会制度、中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度，在中国政治生活中的地位和作用越来越大。30多年来，中国民主法制建设不断加强，坚持依法治国，几千年形成的人治社会正在向法治社会转变。30多年来，中国人权事业有了大发展，我们将尊重和保障人权写入了宪法，依法保障全体社会成员平等参与、平等发展的权利，同时加强国际人权合作。
Some people in the West believe China has carried out reform only in economic sector, not in political system. This is a misunderstanding of China's comprehensive reform. During the past 3 decades, political reform has come with economic reform every step of the way, and political progress has been achieved hand in hand with economic growth. We have seen a growing role of the National People's Congress and multi-party political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party. Democratic decision making and the legal system has been strengthened. The millennium-old pattern of "rule by man" is giving way to the rule of law. We have also seen significant progress in human rights. The promotion and protection of human rights has been written into the Chinese Constitution. All citizens enjoy the rights protected by law to equal participation and development. We have also strengthened international cooperation on human rights.
历史上，中国并非没有尝试过西方式的民主，但都并未给中国带来繁荣和富强。今天，我们找到了一条适合自己发展的道路，建立了有中国特色的民主制度，我们有什么理由动摇？有什么理由折腾？
It was not for lack of trying that Western-style democracy did not bring China the prosperity and strength it had wanted so badly in its modern history. Now that we have found our own road to success and Chinese style democracy, why should we waver or give it up?
第二个问题，中国是否已在坐二望一，很快超过美国？回答这个问题前，我们不妨看以下几对关键词：
Second question, how soon is China going to overtake the US? Before we answer this question, let's look at some key words:
一是“总量”和“人均”。尽管中国经济总量成了世界第二，去年达到5.8万亿美元，但人均GDP只有4300美元，仍排在世界百位左右，离中等发达国家相距甚远，仅占英国的1/9，美国的1/10。
"Aggregates" and "per capita". China's economic aggregates stood at 5.8 trillion US dollars in 2010, ranking second in the world. But its per capita GDP was merely 4,300 US dollars, lower than about 100 other countries, only one ninth of the UK, and one tenth of the US.
二是“沿海”与“内地”及“城市”与“农村”。中国的沿海很发达，城市很繁荣，但是中国西部经济仍很落后，而且中国的城镇化率仅有46%，城乡居民收入比高达3.23：1。我曾在中国最贫困的省份之一甘肃担任两年省长助理，对此深有感受。甘肃地处大西北，自然条件恶劣，沙漠化对当地人民的生存构成了严峻挑战，经济发展困难很大。许多农村的孩子们没有电脑，更从来没有上过互联网。很多孩子在完成国家9年义务阶段教育后，由于经济原因不得不中止学业。
"Coastal" and "inland", "urban" and "rural". We have in China both rich cities in the coastal regions and under developed poor regions in the west of the country. The urbanisation rate is only 46%, and the urban/rural income ratio is as high as 3.23 to 1. I served for two years as Assistant Governor in one of the poorest provinces in northwest China – Gansu. Gansu suffers from tough natural conditions. Desertification threatens the livelihood of the local people and economic development is a huge challenge. Many of the children in the countryside do not have access to computers or the internet. Many boys and girls have to drop out of school because their families cannot af(转载自：www.xiaocaOfaNWen.com 小草 范 文 网:剑桥名人演讲稿)ford their continued education.
三是“制造”与“创造”。中国是制造业大国，但很多产品只有加工、封装等劳动力密集型环节在中国完成，研发设计、关键部件和市场营销都在国外，中国处在国际产业链的末端。中国出口商品中90%是贴牌生产，每部手机售价的20%、计算机售价的30%、数控机床售价的20%到40%，都要支付给国外专利持有者。从“中国制造”到“中国创造”还有很长的路要走。
"Made in China" and "created in China". For all its manufacturing strength, China is still at the lower end of the value chain. In many cases only the labour-intensive parts of production such as processing and packaging are done in China. R&D, design, key components and marketing are done elsewhere. 90% of China's export commodities are OEM products. 20% of the retail value of every mobile phone, 30% that of computers and 20-40% that of Computer Numerical Control machine tools go to foreign patent owners. There is still a long way to go from "Made in China" to "created in China".
四是“粗放”与“集约”。有数据显示，中国单位GDP的能耗是国际水平的三至四倍，是英国的八倍。中国消耗了全球46％的钢铁、16％的能源、52％的水泥，但仅创造了全球8％左右的GDP。中国经济发展效率还有待大幅提升，需要从“粗放型”向“集约型”发展。
篇三：温家宝剑桥演讲稿(中英文对照)
温家宝总理在英国剑桥大学的英文演讲稿（附中文）
The following is the full text of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's speech at the University of Cambridge on Monday.
See China in the Light of Her Development
Speech at the University of Cambridge
Wen Jiabao
Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
2 February 2009
Vice Chancellor Alison Richard, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to come to Cambridge, a world-renowned
university that I have long wanted to visit. Cambridge has produced many great scientists and thinkers Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Francis Bacon, to name but a few, and made important contribution to the progress of human civilization. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the university. Please accept my warm congratulations.
This is my fourth visit to your country. Despite the great distance between China and Britain, the friendly exchanges between our peoples have been on the rise. The successful resolution of the question of Hong Kong and fruitful cooperation between our two countries in areas such as economy, trade, culture, education, science and technology have cemented the foundation of our comprehensive strategic partnership. Here, I wish to pay high tribute to all those who have been working tirelessly to promote friendly ties between our two countries.
The title of my speech today is "See China in the Light of Her Development".
My beloved motherland is a country both old and young.
She is old, because she is a big Oriental country with a civilization stretching back several thousand years. With diligence and wisdom, the Chinese nation created a splendid civilization and made significant contributions to the progress of humanity.
She is young, because the People's Republic is just 60 years old, and the country began reform and opening-up only 30 years ago. The Chinese people
established the New China after uemitting struggles and ultimately found a development path suited to China's national conditions through painstaking efforts. This is the path of socialism with Chinese
characteristics. Following this path, our ancient civilization has been rejuvenated.
The key element of China's reform and opening-up is to free people's mind and the most fundamental and significant component is institutional innovation. Through economic reform, we have built a socialist market economy, where the market plays a primary role in allocating resources under government macro-regulation. We have carried out political reform, promoted democracy and improved the legal system. People are the masters of the country. We run the country according to law and endeavor to build a socialist country under the rule of law.
The essence of China's reform and opening-up is to put people first and meet their ever growing material and cultural needs through releasing and developing productive forces. It aims to give everyone equal
opportunities for all-round development. It aims to protect the democratic rights of the people and promote stability, harmony and prosperity across the land. And it aims to safeguard the dignity and freedom of everyone so that he or she may pursue happiness with ingenuity and hard work.
Over the past three decades, more than 200 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty, the average life expectancy has increased by 5 years, and the 83 million people with disabilities in China have received special care from the government and the society. All this points to the tremendous efforts China has made to protect human rights. We have introduced free nine-year compulsory education throughout the country, established the cooperative medical system in the rural areas and improved the social safety net. The age-old dream of the Chinese nation is being turned into reality a dream to see the young educated, the sick treated and the old cared for.
I want to quote from a Tang Dynasty poem to describe what is happening in China, "From shore to shore it is wide at high tide, and before fair wind a sail is lifting." The Chinese people are working hard to modernize their country. This is a great practice in a large developing country both ancient and new. The Chinese people, with destiny in their own hands, are full of confidence in their future.
My beloved motherland is a country that stood numerous vicissitudes but never gave up.
Earlier in my career, I worked in northwest China for many years. There, in the boundless desert, grows a rare variety of tree called euphrates poplar. Rooted over 50 meters down the ground, they thrive in hostile environments, defying droughts, sandstorms and salinization. They are known as the "hero tree", because a euphrates poplar can live for a thousand years. Even after it dies, it stands upright for a thousand years, and even after it falls, it stays intact for another thousand years. I like euphrates poplar because they symbolize the resilience of the Chinese nation.
Over the millennia, the Chinese nation has weathered numerous disasters, both natural and man-made, surmounted all kinds of difficulties and challenges, and made her way to where she proudly stands today. The long sufferings have only made her a nation of fortitude and perseverance. The experience of the Chinese nation attests to a truth: what a nation loses in times of disaster will be made up for by her progress.
I am reminded of the experience that I had in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province after the devastating earthquake there last May. That earthquake shocked the whole world. It flattened Beichuan Middle School and claimed many young lives. But only 10 days after the earthquake, when I went there for the second time, I had before my eyes new classrooms built on debris by local villagers with planks. Once again, the campus echoed with the sound of students reading aloud. I wrote down 4 Chinese characters on the blackboard, meaning "A country will emerge stronger from adversities." I have been to Wenchuan seven times since the earthquake and witnessed countless touching scenes like this. I am deeply moved by the unyielding spirit of my people. This great national spirit is the source of strength which has enabled the Chinese nation to emerge from all the hardships stronger than before.
With hard work over the past half century and more, China has achieved great progress. Its total economic output is now one of the largest in the world. However, we remain a developing country and we are keenly aware of the big gap that we have with the developed countries. There has been no fundamental change in our basic national condition: a big population, weak economic foundation and uneven development. China's per capita GDP ranks behind 100 countries in the world and is only about 1/18 that of Britain. Those of you who have been to China as tourists must have seen the modern cities, but our rural areas are still quite backward.
To basically achieve modernization by the middle of this century, we must accomplish three major tasks: first, achieve industrialization, which
Europe has long completed, while keeping abreast of the latest trends of the scientific and technological revolution; second, promote economic growth while ensuring social equity and justice; and third, pursue sustainable development at home while accepting our share of
international responsibilities. The journey ahead will be long and arduous, but no amount of difficulty will stop the Chinese people from marching forward. Through persistent efforts, we will reach our goal.
My beloved motherland is a country that values her traditions while opening her arms to the outside world.
The traditional Chinese culture is rich, extensive and profound. Harmony, the supreme value cherished in ancient China, lies at the heart of the Chinese culture. The Book of History, an ancient classic in China for example, advocates amity among people and friendly exchanges among nations.
The Chinese cultural tradition values peace as the most precious. This has nurtured the broad mind of the Chinese nation. The Chinese nation is generous and tolerant, just as Mother Earth cares for all living things. She is in constant pursuit of justice, just as the eternal movement of the Universe.
In the 15th century, the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He led seven maritime expeditions to the Western Seas and reached over 30countries. He took with him Chinese tea, silk and porcelain and helped local people fight pirates as he sailed along. He was truly a messenger of love and friendship.
The argument that a big power is bound to seek hegemony does not apply to China. Seeking hegemony goes against China's cultural tradition as well as the will of the Chinese people. China's development harms no one and threatens no one. We shall be a peace-loving country, a country that is eager to learn from and cooperate with others. We are committed to building a harmonious world.
Different countries and nations need to respect, tolerate and learn from each other's culture. Today, 300 million Chinese are learning English and over one million of our young people are studying abroad. The cultures and arts of various parts of the world are featured daily on China's television, radio and print media. Had we not learned from others through exchanges and eiched ourselves by drawing on others' experience, we would not have enjoyed today's prosperity and progress.
In the 21st century, economic globalization and the information network
have linked us all together. Different cultures live together and
influence each other. No culture can flourish in isolation. How much a country or a nation contributes to the culture of humanity is increasingly determined by her ability to absorb foreign cultures and renew herself. That is why China will remain open and receptive, value her own traditions while drawing on others' successful experience, and achieve economic prosperity and social progress in a civilized and harmonious way.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I stress the importance of seeing China in the light of her development, because the world is changing and China is changing. China is no longer the closed and backward society it was 100 years ago, or the poor and ossified society 30 years ago. Thanks to reform and opening-up, China has taken on a new look. What the Beijing Olympic Games showcased is a colorful China, both ancient and modern. I therefore encourage you to visit China more often and see more places there. This way, you will better understand what the Chinese people are thinking and doing, and what they are
interested in. You will get to know the true China, a country constantly developing and changing. You will also better appreciate how China has been tackling the ongoing global financial crisis.
This unprecedented financial crisis has inflicted a severe impact on both China and Britain as well as other European countries. The crisis has not yet hit the bottom, and it is hard to predict what further damage it may cause. To work together and tide over the difficulties has become our top priority.
I believe that closer cooperation is needed to meet the global crisis, and the level of cooperation hinges upon the level of mutual trust. The Chinese Government maintains that countries should: first and foremost, run their own affairs well and refrain from shifting troubles onto others; second, carry out cooperation with full sincerity and avoid pursuing one's own interests at the expense of others; and third, address both the symptoms and the root cause of the problem. A palliative approach will not work. We should not treat only the head when the head aches, and the foot when the foot hurts. As I reiterated at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, necessary reform of the international monetary and financial systems should be carried out to establish a new
international financial order that is fair, equitable, inclusive and well-managed. We should create an institutional environment conducive to global economic growth.
Let me talk briefly about how China has been responding to the crisis.