Speech by Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao at the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 China International
国家副主席李源潮在2016年中国国际友好城市大会开幕式上的致辞（中英对照版）
共建人民友好之桥 互利合作之桥
Work Together to Build the Bridge of Friendship and Mutually Beneficial Cooperation
——在2016中国国际友好城市大会开幕式上的致辞
– Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 China International Friendship Cities Conference
中国国家副主席 李源潮
H.E. Li Yuanchao, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China
2016年11月10日，重庆
10 November 2016, Chongqing
2016中国国际友好城市大会在山城重庆隆重开幕。我代表中国政府，向大会召开表示热烈的祝贺！对各位嘉宾和朋友们表示热烈的欢迎！
The 2016 China International Friendship Cities Conference is now open in the mountainous city of Chongqing. On behalf of the Chinese government, let me extend my warm congratulations on the opening of the conference and sincere welcome to all the distinguished guests and friends!
当今时代是个快速发展的时代，当今世界是个五彩缤纷的世界。在我们这个“地球村”，国与国之间需要更多增进交流和了解，城市与城市之间需要搭建起更多沟通、交流和友谊的桥梁。
We are living in a fast-changing era and a colorful world. In this global village, countries need greater exchanges and understanding and cities should have more bridges of communication and friendship.
中国国家主席习近平提出，大力开展中国国际友好城市工作，促进中外地方政府交流，推动实现资源共享、优势互补、合作共赢。这里，我就本届会议“创新发展，合作共享”的主题谈几点建议：
President Xi Jinping pointed out that we need to enhance friendship between Chinese and foreign cities through more exchanges between local governments, so that they can share resources, complement each other with their respective strengths and achieve win-win cooperation. In that connection and under the theme of this conference “Innovation for Development and Cooperation for Sharing”, I wish to make the following suggestions:
第一，扩大友好城市交流，厚植人民友好情谊。人民友好是国家友好、世界和平的基石，友城交流是人民友好的重要渠道。中国开展国际友好城市活动40多年来，已同130多个国家建立了2340对友城关系。湖南省长沙市与乌干达恩德培市积极开展文化教育交流，共建“恩德培－长沙示范小学”。江苏省南京市与日本爱知县通过加强青少年交往和艺术团体交流，不断增进民间友好。云南省瑞丽市与缅甸木姐市每年在“十·一”黄金周举办“中缅胞波狂欢节”，深受两国民众欢迎。国家关系发展，根基在人民，活力在交往。希望国际友好城市拓展交流领域，丰富交流形式，加深各国人民相互了解，增进友好情谊。
First, increase exchanges among friendship cities and deepen people’s friendship. Amity between the people is the cornerstone of friendship among countries and world peace, and exchange among friendship cities is an important channel for amity between the people. Over the past 40 years of international friendship cities activities, China has established 2,340 pairs of friendship city relations with more than 130 countries. Changsha city of Hunan province and the city of Entebbe in Uganda have had vibrant education and culture exchanges, and built together the “Entebbe-Changsha Demonstration Primary School”. Nanjing city of Jiangsu province and Aichi prefecture of Japan have deepened their friendship through youth and art troupe exchanges. Ruili city in Yunnan province and City of Muse of Myanmar organize the “China-Myanmar Pauk-Phaw Carnival” during China’s National Day holiday week each year, which is quite popular among the local communities. The development of state to state relations is rooted in the people and invigorated by exchanges. I hope that international friendship cities can expand the fields of exchanges, engage in more forms of interactions so as to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the people.
第二，互鉴规划建设经验，推动城市创新发展。城市化是人类现代化的重要内容，城市已成为人类政治、经济、文化、社会活动的中心。目前，世界54%的人口生活在城市，人口超过1000万的超大城市有28个，包括重庆在内，中国占6个。改革开放以来，中国经历了世界历史上规模最大、速度最快的城市化进程，现在已有7.5亿人生活在城市。城市提升了人类生活品质，但我们也越来越面临着基础设施滞后、交通堵塞、环境污染等“城市病”的困扰。近年来，中国全面贯彻创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的新发展理念，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，努力建设和谐宜居、富有活力、各具特色的现代化城市，为世界城市化贡献了中国智慧。国际友好城市活动积极致力于推动城市转变发展方式，提高治理水平。广州市与新西兰奥克兰市、美国洛杉矶市成立三城规划设计联盟，福建省与比利时列日省共同开发水电气“三网一卡”城市智能管理系统，江苏省镇江市与德国曼海姆市深入开展“低碳出行、生态立市”交流合作。希望国际友好城市相互学习、取长补短，共同提高城市规划的前瞻性科学性，增强城市建设的宜居性和可持续性，推进城市管理的现代化和精细化，让广大民众在城市生活得更方便、更舒心、更美好。
Second, share experience in urban planning and promote innovative development of cities. Urbanization is an important part of modernization. Cities have become the center of our political, economic, cultural and social activities. Now 54% of the world’s population lives in cities. There are 28 mega-cities with a population of over 10 million, and six of them are in China, including Chongqing. Since the start of reform and opening up, China has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization in world history. Now, 750 million Chinese people live in cities. Cities have improved the quality of life, but they are also increasingly troubled by such “urban diseases” as backward infrastructure, traffic congestion, environmental pollution. In recent years, China has pursued the new vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development. We have put people first in our development and worked hard to build harmonious, livable and dynamic modern cities with unique characteristics, contributing China’s wisdom to urbanization in the world. Activities of international friendship cities are aimed at transforming development model of cities and better governance of cities. Guangzhou, Auckland of New Zealand and Los Angeles of the United States have founded the “Tripartite Economic Alliance”; Fujian province and Liege of Belgium have jointly developed the smart urban management system of “integrating water, electricity and gas services with one card”; Zhenjiang city of Jiangsu province and the city of Mannheim of Germany have carried out exchanges and cooperation on low-carbon commute and building eco cities. I hope that international friendship cities can learn from each other, work together to make urban planning more rational and forward-looking, make cities more livable and sustainable, modernize and refine urban management so that people will live a more comfortable and convenient life in cities.
第三，拓展互利共赢合作，共享城市文明成果。城市是各类发展要素最集中的地方，是引领发展的“火车头”。国际友好城市活动为中外城市开展平等互利合作搭建了重要平台。重庆市与德国杜塞尔多夫市深化互利合作，促成了渝新欧国际铁路大通道的开通，成为“一带一路”的重要黄金通道。古代欧洲的商旅驼队来华需要一两年，现在只需13天。陕西省西安市与荷兰格罗宁根市通过友城渠道深化合作，在西安举行的“西洽会暨丝博会”专门设立“格罗宁根日”，西安市多次组织企业家赴格罗宁根参加“北方荷兰经贸展”。城市是现代文明的重要载体，城市文明应由各国人民共建共享。希望国际友好城市积极推动各领域务实合作，结出更多互利互惠的累累硕果。
Third, expand win-win cooperation and share fruits of urban civilization. Cities, with the highest concentration of resources, are the locomotive of development. International friendship city activities serve as important platforms for Chinese and foreign cities to have equal-footed and mutually beneficial cooperation. Deepened cooperation between Chongqing city and Dusseldorf of Germany have contributed to the opening of the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe International Railway, which has become a golden pathway on “the Belt and Road”. The ancient European business camel team would need a year or two to reach China, but now the train ride takes only 13 days. Xi’an city and Groningen of the Netherlands strengthened their cooperation through friendship city relations. A “Groningen Day” event was included in the East-West Cooperation and Investment Trade Fair& The Silk Road International Exhibition in Xi’an. Xi’an municipal government has organized several trips by businessmen to business promotion events in Groningen in norther Netherlands. Cities are important carriers of modern civilization and urban civilization should be shared by all peoples. I hope that international friendship cities will promote practical cooperation in various fields and produce more win-win outcomes.
目前，中国经济保持平稳较快发展。去年国内生产总值增长6.9%，对世界经济增长贡献率超过25%。今年前3季度中国经济增长6.7%，在全球主要经济体中继续位居前列。我们有信心，中国经济将在提质增效、创新发展的轨道上保持长期向好的基本态势，为世界的发展带来更多机遇。
China’s economy is growing rapidly and steadily. In 2015, China’s GDP grew by 6.9%, contributing over 25% to world economic growth. In the first three quarters of this year, China’s economy grew by 6.7%, one of the highest among major economies in the world. We are confident that China’s economy will maintain a sound momentum in the long run with better quality and efficiency and innovative development, and bring more opportunities to the world.
当前，中国人民正在为全面建成小康社会、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦而奋斗。中国梦与各国人民追求幸福生活的美好梦想相连相通。中国高举和平、发展、合作、共赢的旗帜，积极推动中外人民友好交往，愿借助国际友好城市交往，同各国一道搭建人民友好之桥、互利合作之桥，共同推动建设人类命运共同体，共同促进世界和平与发展！
The Chinese people are now working hard to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great national renewal. The Chinese Dream is interconnected with the beautiful dream of a happy life of all peoples. Holding high the banner of peace, development and win-win cooperation, China is pursuing friendly exchanges with other countries. Through international friendship cities exchanges, we hope to build together with other countries a bridge of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation and the community of shared future for mankind, and contribute to world peace and development.