女士们、先生们，
Ladies and Gentlemen,
中英两国都是历史文化大国，都以自己的独特创造为人类的文明进步作出了不可磨灭的贡献。中国有5000年不曾中断的文明传承，博大精深、辉煌灿烂的中华文化所孕育的东方智慧，比如“天人合一”、“民为邦本”、“和而不同”、“义利兼顾”等，是世界文明殿堂的瑰宝，其时代价值越来越为国际社会所认同。英国是启蒙运动和工业革命重要发源地，所创造的科学技术、市场经济、金融制度、法律体系和工商业文化，对近代以来的世界发展产生了重大影响。
Both China and the United Kingdom, with long histories and rich cultures, have made unique and remarkable contribution to human civilization and progress. In the 5,000-year continuous Chinese civilization, the profound and splendid Chinese culture has produced such philosophies as "harmony between man and nature", "people being the fundamental of the state", "harmony without uniformity" and "taking into account both interests and obligations". The wisdom embodied in these philosophies are valuable assets of world civilization and its value is increasingly recognized by the international community. The United Kingdom, as the birthplace of the Enlightenment Movement and the industrial revolution, has a significant impact on modern world with its science and technology, market economy, financial system, legal system and business culture.
中英两国相距遥远，但并没有阻挡人文交流的脚步。早在2000多年前，中国就开辟了三条“丝绸之路”，从陆上、海上连通亚欧非三大洲，开始了与其他国家的友好交往。在长期交往中，两国的优秀文明成果深受彼此欣赏。中国儒家思想和科举制度等传入欧洲后，曾得到英国启蒙思想家的推崇。文艺复兴之后英国涌现出的哲学家、文学家、艺术家，在中国闻名遐迩。莎翁的作品100多年前就在中国出版，并陆续以话剧、京剧等形式上演，哈姆雷特的悲情、奥赛罗的正直、鲍西亚的智慧，至今在中国脍炙人口、经久不衰。培根“知识就是力量”的名言，悬挂在很多中国偏远的乡村学校。
The great geographic distance between China and Britain did not hold back our cultural and people-to-people interactions. More than 2,000 years ago, China opened three routes of the Silk Road on land and sea, connecting Asia with Europe and Africa, and heralding an era of friendly exchanges with countries along the routes. Through millennia of interflows, both countries have shown great admiration for the fine cultural achievements of the other side: China's Confucianism and imperial examination system, when introduced to Europe, were highly commended by British Enlightenment thinkers, while British philosophers, writers and artists of the post-Renaissance age enjoyed tremendous popularity in China. Shakespeare's works were published in China more than 100 years ago and have been staged in a variety of forms such as drama and Peking Opera. The tragedy of Hamlet, the integrity of Othello and the wit of Portia are all familiar to generations of Chinese readers. The golden saying of Francis Bacon, "Knowledge is power", can be found even on the walls of remote village schools in China.
近年来，中英人文交流得到了官方与民间的双重推动，规模和活跃程度都前所未有。中国有3亿人学英语，有数千万英超联赛观众，英国有500多所中小学开设汉语课，建立了19所孔子学院，居欧洲各国之首，英国伦敦大学学生蒋思哲获得汉语桥世界大学生中文比赛冠军;48对中英省郡、城市缔结友好关系，去年中国赴英人次达20多万;上海世博会英国馆吸引了800万中国观众，兵马俑和故宫珍品在伦敦展出深受欢迎……
In recent years, thanks to the strong push from both the governments and non-government sectors, China-Britain cultural and people-to-people exchanges have seen unprecedented expansion and dynamism. Over 300 million Chinese are learning English, and tens of millions in China watch Premier League events. In Britain, the Chinese language is taught in over 500 primary and secondary schools, and there are altogether 19 Confucius institutes in the UK, more than any other country in Europe. Stewart Johnson, an undergraduate from the University of London, won the first prize at the Chinese Bridge language competition for non-native university students. Forty-seven Chinese provinces and cities have forged sister relationships with their counterparts in the UK, and last year, over 200,000 Chinese visited this country. The British pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo attracted eight million Chinese visitors, while the terracotta warriors and the treasures from the Palace Museum were warmly received when displayed in London.
