自序

在21世纪的头十年，中国的国际地位快速上升，外界对中国的关注和关心也前所未有地随之上升。在西方社会里，中国的影响已经无处不在，从清晨床头的闹钟开始，到夜间观看的电视，普通人每天都在同“中国制造”打交道。而中国是一个什么样的国家？为什么中国的制度如此不同？为什么这个国家能迸发如此强大的生产力？这些问题对许多西方人来说，如同一个解不开的谜。

新中国在成立后不久就遭到西方世界的封锁，在冷战中的大部分岁月里被视为“竹幕”背后的国家。我们自己的一些极“左”做法也加深了相互的隔绝。中国的改革开放是在冷战后期逐渐改善的国际环境中开始的。三十多年来，中西交往逐渐增加，经济依存度不断深化，隔阂的冰层也开始慢慢融化。但是，围绕北京奥运会在西方世界发生的对中国的打压，在一定意义上再次揭示了对中国的不了解和偏见的广泛存在。

我在澳大利亚和英国担任大使期间，常常为笼罩在中国形象上的那层拨不开的偏见迷雾所困扰，这不仅对中国的形象造成损害，也对双边关系的深入发展构成潜在障碍，一遇到风吹草动就会暴露出双方关系的脆弱。所以我在演讲中重点针对这些问题。

一个国家形象的改善和软实力建设主要靠自身的努力和发展，中国还不完善，有许多问题要在深化改革的过程中去解决。但像中国这样，取得很多成绩却得不到外界认可，面临许多挑战也得不到充分理解，有时难免让人感到失望。这与中国历史文化的独特、在政治制度上与西方的不同乃至语言障碍都不无关系。

因此，我们更需要主动地介绍自己，尤其要以一种平和的心态和平常的语言，以“润物细无声”的方式来传递我们的信息。中国的驻外大使都在积极主动地做着这方面的工作，其中不少优秀演讲也已整理成册。当然，不能指望一次、十次甚至一百次的演讲就能把这层迷雾拨开，但是我们必须朝着这个方向不断努力，塑造和而不同的外部环境。

本书的面世让我颇为忐忑。因为演讲往往带有随机性质，有时甚至仓促拟就，鉴于我对谈到的一些问题缺乏全面的了解和专业的研究，难免有不妥当抑或不准确之处。大部分讲话原文是英文，中译文有时显得不顺当。但是，在领导和许多朋友、同事的鼓励之下，我愿意出版这部集子，以鼓励更多有心人沿着中西沟通的道路前行。

演讲

SPEECHES

Embrace a Colourful World

Speech at the Graduation Ceremony of Australian National University

Canberra,29July 2004

Professor Ian Chubb,

Young Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour and pleasure for me to be invited to speak on this occasion and to share this important moment of your life.

In my four months as Ambassador of China to Australia,I have made more than 20speeches.But this is probably the most difficult one for me.

This is because,firstly I am too old to know what is on the mind of young people like you,and secondly it is not easy to find things you do not know about.

Even talking about China is difficult,as in this information age there is so much that has already been said about China.

If you log onto the Internet and type "China"into Google,you will get 63million search results,whilst you get 38million for "US."(Laughter)

Having consulted with Professor Ian Chubb,I thought I would start by sharing with you how I came to see a different world.

When I was young,China was in the midst of the Cultural Revolution.Schools were closed and all the young people were sent to the countryside to do menial labour for "re—education."Those days were tough,but the harsh country life gave me tenacity and sense of tolerance.

After the Cultural Revolution,I went through university studies and then started my diplomatic career.That was a time when China was just opening up to the outside world.

I remember the visual shock first time I went to Europe.The colourful way people dressed was a sharp contrast to the customary blue jacket I was used to seeing everyone wear in China.

Before leaving home,my mother gave me a piece of blue woollen cloth which she treasured.I had it made into a blue suit and was excited at having such a high—quality outfit.But when I walked down the corridor of the UN building in Geneva,I was mistaken for a boy.Although this was annoying,I did enjoy the pleasant surprise of seeing a different world.

What impressed me the most was the art in the West,especially the oil paintings and sculptures.I found the details in the classical realist portraits and the strong emotions expressed by the impressionists striking.They really touched me.

The emphasis is very different in Chinese paintings,which are not usually rich in colour,or realistic to the finest detail.They are mostly simple,with strokes of ink to highlight the features of landscapes,structures or figures.

I tried to understand why this is so,by reading and talking to people,and harvested many interesting insights,including some deep underlying philosophical differences.

For example,freedom is a very important concept in Western societies and cultures.It is about being completely free to achieve one's desire.It was the slogan of the French Revolution and is an important component of Western values.Of course,political upheavals were long besetting social reorganisation in the name of freedom,and it is the framework of the rule of law gradually taking shape in modern industrialisation that defines the limits of freedom lest it explodes into anarchy.

Long before the French Revolution,the concepts of freedom were studied and written about by Laozi,the founder of Taoism in China about 2,500years ago.He believed that freedom could be achieved only by growing out of all desires,in another word,to give up desires.Man would be free only when he is without any desire at all.

This concept of freedom has had a long influence in the Chinese culture and was the guiding principle for many artists.

Chinese paintings are more philosophical,and are meant to express ideas and feelings.Professor Zhu Liangzhi,a Chinese aesthetician,made an in—depth analysis on the subject.A case in point is my favourite painting Qiujiangdaidutu,or literally,Waiting to Cross the River on an Autumn Day,by Qian Xuan from the 13th century.It is a huge painting with a big space in the centre with practically nothing.The shapes around and some strokes indicating water waves show it is about a wide river,on the far side of which some mountains fade into the distance.You can see a ferryboat,hardly moving though,halfway across and people waiting very anxiously under the trees on the bank with long stretched necks.

The focus of the painting seems to be the emptiness of the vast,foggy river and the ease of the tiny,slow boat,which offer such a contrast to the anxiety of the waiting men.It seems like telling people how unimportant material desires are.I wonder if it also shows the artist's outlook on freedom.

However,modern life is quickly changing people's way of thinking.If you go to China now,you will find that both the blue woollen jackets and the waiting men on the river bank have become history.

By opening to the outside world,the Chinese people have not only begun to see different cultures,but also started to integrate with the world.

In 1978,Mr.Deng Xiaoping,a wise leader of China,led the country into an unprecedented campaign to introduce a market economy.The reform and opening up unleashed such enthusiasm for economic development,that it has completely transformed China in the last 25years.In 2003,the GDP of China reached 1.4trillion US dollars,which is more than three times that of Australia.But with our population of 1.3billion,this gives a per capita GDP of only 1,000US dollars.It is only 3%—4%that of Australia,but is already a significant historical improvement in China's context.

We are now the world's number one producer of many important merchandise.One in every two cameras produced in the world are made in China and so are one in three televisions and air conditioners.We are also the largest producer of programme—controlled switchboards,cell phones,DVD players and many other manufactured and agricultural products.

China's foreign trade is worth more than one trillion US dollars,ranking third in the world.

China has also grown into a huge market with 80million Internet users,and the number of cell—phone users now exceeds 300million.China has also become the largest Asian market for tourism,with over 20million Chinese citizens travelling overseas last year.

If you are looking for jobs,this information may help you to see which way the wind is blowing.And if any of you are thinking about working with China,you must want to know how our two nations are getting on together.

Although we are not lovers,we do get along very well.

Confucius said,a man matures in his thirties,and this is probably equally true for our relationship.After 32years of diplomatic relations,our two countries have become closer in our cooperation as partners.

Our bilateral trade is growing at high speed.Last year when Australia's trade with most of its other major partners fell or remained at the same level,its trade with China grew by 30%.This was partially due to the large number of students and tourists coming from China.

Our economies are very complementary.For example:Australia has rich reserves of energy and mineral resources,whilst China has a growing demand for these resources;Australia also has a mature agriculture industry,especially the strong dairy sector to which China is becoming an expanding market as the living standard of our people rises.

Australia has many excellent scientists who are making constant progress in their research and China has a huge manufacturing sector with great potentials eager to work with you to adopt and implement these new scientific discoveries and technologies.Your strong service sector,such as education,tourism,finance and legal consulting,can also find a market in China.

One good example of our cooperation is the design of the Beijing Olympic Swimming Centre.A joint team of engineers including those from Australia and China won the bid with a masterpiece blue architecture called Water Cube.It is highly distinctive in shape and structure.Its smart and sophisticated design is regarded as a wonder of physics.The construction started at the end of last year and I am sure it will become a huge attraction in Beijing when it is completed.

Being the new generation,you are faced with many new opportunities;your challenge is how to recognise,appreciate and benefit from these opportunities.

My experience is that one should be always open—minded and ready to adopt new perspectives when looking at things,and never at any stage in your life take everything for granted.Realising and understanding differences is the starting point of learning about the real world.I hope you will be as prepared to embrace a different and colourful world.

Thank you.