Love Leads Us Forward Hand in Hand

汇聚公益爱心，携手互助前行

 

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at The Donation Ceremony of China-UK Charity Initiative

刘晓明大使在“中英公益”项目支票捐赠仪式上的致辞

 

19 June 2020

2020年6月19日

 

Vice Minister Qin Gang,

Lord Mayor Alderman Russell,

Chairman Fang Wenjian,

Party Secretary Jin Hongjiang,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

尊敬的中国外交部副部长秦刚先生，

尊敬的伦敦金融城市长拉塞尔先生，

尊敬的英国中国商会会长方文建先生，

尊敬的中国云南省中共金平县委书记晋洪江先生，

女士们、先生们，

 

It is a real delight to join you to witness this on-line donation ceremony by the China-UK Charity Initiative to help build a medical clinic in Daluo Village, Zhemi Town, Jinping County, Yunnan Province of China.

很高兴出席“中英公益”2020年云南扶贫项目爱心支票线上捐赠仪式，见证“中英公益”倡议资助云南省金平县者米乡打落村卫生室建设项目的善举。

 

Let me begin by expressing my sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the Chinese and British business communities, including the Lord Mayor’s Appeal team and the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK. Thank you for working so hard to make this happen.

我谨向为此付出辛勤努力的“伦敦金融城市长倡议”团队、英国中国商会以及奉献爱心的中英两国企业家表示诚挚的谢意和崇高的敬意！

 

In the past nearly two years since its launch, the China-UK Charity Initiative has played an active part in supporting charity works in both China and the UK.

“中英公益”倡议启动近2年来，积极参与支持两国公益事业。

 

2020 is the year that China has set the goal of eliminating absolute poverty despite the challenge from Covid-19. Against this background, today’s donation by the China-UK Charity Initiative for building public health facilities in Jinping County bears three-fold significance:

今年是中国脱贫攻坚战决胜之年，突如其来的新冠肺炎疫情给我们完成既定目标任务带来了挑战。在此背景下，“中英公益”倡议资助金平县建设公共卫生设施，具有三重特殊意义：

 

First, it is a valuable support for China’s efforts to eliminate absolute poverty.

一是为中国脱贫攻坚提供新助力。

 

For 28 years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has provided targeted assistance to two poorest counties in Yunnan Province, Jinping and Malipo.

28年来，中国外交部坚持定点帮扶云南省金平、麻栗坡两个国家级贫困县。

 

Not long ago, these two counties were officially taken off the poverty list. That was an important achievement. However, it remains a daunting task to consolidate this result. As President Xi Jinping said at the symposium on poverty reduction in March this year, walking out of poverty is not an end in itself but the beginning of a new life and a pursuit for a new dream.

令人欣慰的是，不久前这两个县已正式“摘帽”，但巩固扶贫成果依然任重道远。今年3月，习近平主席在决战决胜脱贫攻坚座谈会上指出，脱贫摘帽不是终点，而是新生活、新奋斗的起点。

 

This charity project is aimed at improving medical care for local villagers and helping reduce poverty for the local community. This is a new way to cement the outcome of poverty reduction. And it helps foster an enabling environment for the local people to start a new life.

此次“中英公益”倡议资助项目，着力改善村民就医条件，助力当地卫生扶贫事业，为巩固脱贫成果开辟了新路径，为脱贫群众开启新生活创造了新环境。

 

Going forward, China and the UK could explore new ways to reduce poverty, such as supporting industrial development, developing education and building better livelihood. I am sure that, in this process, the China-UK Charity Initiative will have a bigger role to play

今后中英双方还可探索产业扶贫、教育扶贫、民生扶贫等多种扶贫方式，“中英公益”倡议在两国扶贫开发事业中一定会大有作为。

 

Second, this charity project is a new highlight in China-UK joint response to Covid-19.

二是为中英携手抗疫打造新亮点。

 

Since the outbreak, our two countries have supported each other and engaged in close cooperation. The business communities of both countries have actively donated funds and supplies. The City of London and CCCUK hosted a joint event in support of China’s counter-virus efforts. CCCUK has also encouraged Chinese businesses here in the UK to donate urgently-needed supplies, such as ventilators and PPEs, to the UK side.

疫情发生以来，中英相互支持、紧密合作。两国工商界积极捐款捐物，伦敦金融城与英国中国商会联合举行公益活动支持中国抗疫，英国中国商会组织在英中资企业向英方捐赠呼吸机、PPE等抗疫急需物资。

 

This charity project we are marking today will provide medical and epidemic prevention services to more than 2,400 local villagers. It is a demonstration of the profound friendship between China and the UK. It is a showcase of our joint response to Covid-19. It is also a vivid illustration of our shared commitment to building a global community of health.

“中英公益”倡议此次将为当地2400多名村民提供医疗和防疫服务，体现了中英守望互助、共同战疫的深厚情谊，也是双方致力构建人类卫生健康共同体的生动体现。

 

Third, this charity project provides new impetus for China-UK friendly cooperation.

三是为中英友好合作注入新动力。

 

When Brexit is done and Covid-19 is over, China and the UK will continue deepening cooperation in areas such as financial services, trade and investment. We will be working to safeguard the unobstructed global industrial and supply chains. And this will help both of us in getting our respective economies back on track again.

在“后脱欧时代”和“后疫情时代”，中英正深化金融服务、贸易投资等领域合作，促进全球产业链供应链畅通运转，带动各自经济复苏发展。

 

The City of London has been a pioneer in China-UK cooperation. This health care project in Jinping County by the China-UK Charity Initiative demonstrates once again the sense of responsibility of the City of London and the Chinese and British business communities. It testifies to the determination and confidence of our two countries in deeper bilateral cooperation.

伦敦金融城始终是中英合作的先头兵。此次“中英公益”倡议资助金平县项目落地，展现了伦敦金融城和中英企业的责任与担当，更传递了中英深化合作的决心与信心。

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

女士们，先生们，

 

As a Chinese saying goes, “A thousand-mile journey starts with tiny steps; A vast ocean begins with small trickles.” Lauding the same spirit of persistence, the British people say, “Many a little makes a mickle.” I am confident that, wherever poverty strikes, the China-UK Charity Initiative will pool the efforts of both countries to make new and greater contribution to China-UK cooperation and international collaboration on reducing poverty and promoting economic and social progress.

中国古语有云：“不积跬步，无以至千里；不积小流，无以成江海”。英国也有谚语：“积少成多（Many a little makes a mickle）”。我相信，在双方共同努力下，“中英公益”倡议一定能汇聚各方力量，为促进中英扶贫开发事业，为推动国际减贫交流合作做出新的更大贡献！

 

Thank you!

谢谢大家！