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在澳大利亚国立大学毕业典礼上的演讲
堪培拉，2004年7月29日
伊恩·查布教授，年轻的女士们、先生们：
能够受到邀请来这里演讲，并借这个机会分享你们人生中如此重要的时刻，我感到非常荣幸，也很高兴。
作为中国驻澳大利亚大使，我在上任后的四个月里发表过二十多次演讲，但是，今天这场演讲也许是最困难的。
一是，我年纪大了，不大拿得准像你们这样的年轻人关心什么；二是，要讲些你们还不知道的东西恐怕也很困难。
甚至，连谈中国都不那么容易，因为在当今的信息时代，关于中国，人们已经讲得很多了。
如果你在谷歌搜索引擎上输入“China（中国）”，你将得到6300万条结果；而输入“US（美国）”的检索结果是3800万条。（笑声）
我征询了伊恩·查布教授的意见，想从自己接触多样世界的经历谈起。
我年轻的时候，中国正处在“文化大革命”时期。学校关闭了，年轻人都上山下乡，从事体力劳动，接受再教育。那段乡下生活的日子很艰苦，但也给予了我坚韧和宽容。
“文化大革命”之后，我上了大学，毕业后开始了外交生涯，那正是中国开始对外开放的年月。
我还记得第一次到欧洲时感受到的视觉冲击——欧洲人绚丽多彩的衣着和我在中国惯常看到的千篇一律的蓝色衣服形成强烈的对比。
离家前，母亲送给我一块她珍藏的藏蓝色毛哔叽料子，我用它做成西服套装，为有了这么高档的一身衣服而兴奋不已。然而，当我穿着它走在日内瓦联合国大楼里时，却被误认为是个男孩儿，颇为恼人。不过，接触到一个不同的世界还是令我感到新奇和欣喜。
让我印象最深的是西方的艺术，尤其是油画和雕塑。无论是古典写实主义肖像画的生动细节，还是印象派绘画中表达的强烈情感，都给人以心灵的震撼，让我受到触动。
中国绘画的特点则不同。例如，中国画往往色彩不是很浓重，也不那么写实，通常比较简约、写意，重在用笔墨线条突出风景、建筑或人物的特征。
我尝试通过阅读和与人交流去理解中西文化不同之处的缘由，得到一些有趣的启发，其中也包括一些深层次的哲理上的差异。
例如，在西方社会和文化中，“自由”是一个非常重要的概念，它指的是不受约束地去实现个人欲望。“自由”是法国大革命的口号，是构成西方价值观的重要成分。当然，在自由口号下的社会整合也伴随着长期的政治动荡，是现代工业化过程中逐渐形成的法治框架对自由予以限制，避免了无政府主义的泛滥。
在中国，2500年前，道家创始人老子的研究和论述中也包含了“自由”的概念，这比法国大革命要早很多。在他看来，超越所有的欲望，人才能获得真正的自由；换句话说，要放弃欲望，无欲才自由。
这种对“自由”的理解在中国文化中有着深远的影响，也是许多艺术家的指导思想。
中国画大多思想性更强，是要表达一种思绪或者意境，中国美学家朱良志教授专门做过这方面的解析。例如13世纪画家钱选的《秋江待渡图》，我很喜欢这幅画，画面很宽，中心很大的空间几无一物，从勾勒出水波的寥寥线条和周围的轮廓可以看出，那是一片辽阔的江面，对岸的山峦伸向远方。江上隐约漂着一只几乎静止的摆渡船，而岸边树下待渡的人却伸长脖子翘首以盼，那份焦急跃然纸上。
这幅画的重心似乎正是那茫茫秋江，江面空阔，小舟缓缓，与焦急的等待者形成了一静一动的鲜明对比。画中隐含的寓意似乎是，物质欲求是多么微不足道，这是否正是作者想表达的自由观？
然而，现代生活正迅速改变着人们的思维方式。如果你现在去中国就会发现，毛哔叽套装和悠然秋江边的待渡客都成了历史。
对外开放让中国人不仅开始接触不同的文化，也开始与世界融合。
1978年，中国睿智的领导人邓小平引领人民走上了前所未有的开拓市场经济的道路。改革开放释放了中国人民对经济发展的巨大热情。25年来，中国发生了翻天覆地的变化。2003年，中国的GDP达到1.4万亿美元，是澳大利亚GDP的3倍多。中国有13亿人口，人均GDP只有1000美元，是澳大利亚人均GDP的3%—4%，但是对于中国来说，这已是颇具历史意义的重大进步。
现在，在很多重要商品的生产上，我们都是世界第一。世界上生产的每两台照相机中，就有一台由中国制造，每三台电视机和空调中就有一台是在中国生产，我们还是程控交换机、手机、DVD播放机和很多其他工农业产品的最大制造国。
中国的对外贸易超过1万亿美元，排名世界第三。
中国已成为一个拥有8000万网民的大市场，手机用户现在超过3亿。中国还成为亚洲旅游最大的市场，去年就有2000多万中国公民出境旅游。
如果你们正在找工作，这些信息也许有助于了解风向。如果你们在考虑与中国合作的话，一定想知道我们两国相处如何。
尽管中澳不是亲密恋人，但我们的确相处和睦。
孔子说过，“三十而立”，也许这同样是对两国关系的真实写照。建交32年以来，我们两国形成了日趋紧密的合作伙伴关系。
中澳两国间的贸易飞速发展。去年，当澳大利亚与大多数其他主要合作伙伴的贸易出现下降或维持原状时，与中国的贸易增长了30%，这其中也包括大量中国留学生和游客来澳学习和旅游所作出的贡献。
我们两国的经济具有较强互补性。例如，澳大利亚有丰富的能源和矿藏，而中国对此非常需要。澳大利亚农业发展成熟——特别是奶制品业，而随着中国人民生活水平的提高，中国对奶制品的消费需求日趋增大。
澳大利亚有优秀的科学家，他们在各自的领域不断取得进展，而中国庞大的制造业发展空间广阔，渴望与贵国合作去应用这些新的科学发现和技术。贵国发达的服务业，诸如教育、旅游、金融和法律咨询，也能在中国找到市场。
我们两国合作的一个绝好例子是北京奥林匹克游泳中心的设计。由澳大利亚和中国的工程师等共同组成的团队竞标成功。这个蓝色结构的经典之作被称为“水立方”，无论是外观还是构造都非常独特，它精巧、别致的设计被视为物理学的奇迹。这项工程去年底已经开工，我相信，它竣工后将成为北京景观的又一大亮点。
作为年轻的一代，你们有很多新的机会，而你们的挑战也在于此——如何发现、抓住这些机会并从中获益。
我个人的经验是，保持开放的心态，永远不要一成不变地看待事物，在任何年纪都不要自以为是，认识和了解差异是探索真实世界的起点。希望你们像我当年一样，作好准备，去迎接多样和丰富多彩的世界。
谢谢！
The Changing World and the Changing China
Speech at AVCC Dinner
Sydney,8November 2004
The Australian Vice—Chancellors'Committee (AVCC)was formed at a conference of Australia's then six universities,held in Sydney in May 1920,with the aim of advancing higher education through voluntary,cooperative and coordinated action.The organisation has ultimately become Universities Australia in 2007,representing Australia's 39universities in the public interest,both nationally and internationally.
Professor Di Yerbury,
Professor Gerard Sutton,
Mr.John Mullarvey,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
One rule for diplomats is to avoid speaking in front of academics,because diplomats don't like to engage in debates,but academics are professional critiques.My husband is an anthropologist,which I hope could keep me safe today.(Laughter)
I have 25minutes to talk about a big topic:the Changing World and the Changing China.I thought I would take a shortcut to cover the topic by giving you a beginning and then directly jumping to the end.
Let me start by the year 1979.China was a typical shortage economy.Most consumer goods,including food,were rationed on a monthly basis.It was also the year I was taking my first overseas posting to Romania.I received RMB 500yuan in "clothing subsidy"from the Foreign Ministry.At today's exchange rate it would be less than 100Australian dollars.I spent half of them and gave the rest to my mother as thanks from a grateful daughter.
1979was an interesting year in the history of international politics.It was in that year Mrs.Thatcher was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and she soon joined President Regan in leading a market revolution that swept through the Western world.In the same year,the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.It is seen as the beginning of the decline of that superpower.It was also the year of the Iranian revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini,which signalled the resurgence of the modern Islamic movement.In this important year,China,with the biggest population in the world,unleashed its reform and opened to the outside world with a momentum and determination never before seen in its long history.
Those events did not seem to have much relevance to each other 25years ago.But many of the profound changes we see today can be traced back to them.
Today,the "iron curtain"no longer exists and countries are not blocked against each other.For the first time the world order is being reshaped without a major war amongst nation states.And countries like the United States,China,Russia,Japan and Australia have become partners for cooperation.With the market economy model being extensively accepted,the world is in a full—fledged globalisation drive.For the first time,China has a relatively friendly external environment for it to focus on its development.Once again,China is at the threshold of industrialisation.
In 25years,China has come a long way from where it was in 1979.Gone are the chaotic and fanatic upheavals of class struggle or preparation against foreign invasion.The theme in China now is of developing the economy and improving the living standard of the ordinary people.Life is much better off and supplies are no longer in scarcity.My daughter and her generation have no interest in my no—longer—relevant stories of the shortages.
Let me use six figures to illustrate the current status of China in the world.
—China ranks first among developing countries in terms of foreign direct investment.
—China has the second largest foreign exchange reserve.
—China is the third largest market in the world.
—China is the fourth largest exporting country.
—China is the fifth biggest investor in the world.
—China has the world's sixth largest economy.
China's economy is closely plugged into the world.For example,Boeing got the first order from China for ten 707s in 1972.Now it has gained a 60%share of the Chinese market.70%of Boeing aircrafts sold around the world carry vertical tail fins made in China.China's foreign trade already tops one trillion US dollars and its average tariff level has dropped to 11%after its entry into the World Trade Organisation.China now produces 40%of the world's air conditioners and 50%of TV sets and refrigerators.
Although China's GDP has grown many folds in the meantime,its per capita GDP of 1,100US dollars is still only in the league of medium and low income countries.For a big country like China,there is still great potential for economic growth.
People are wondering:How long will China keep its rapid development?In the past 25years,China maintained a growth rate of over 9%,perhaps only paralleled by Japan and ROK in their 20years of high growth between the 1960s and 1980s.By comparison,China is endowed with a bigger domestic market,abundant supply of human resources and ever—deepening reform measures.Most importantly,given its size,China's industrialisation would probably need longer.Therefore,it is widely believed in the business community that China could maintain high—speed growth for another 25years.
Having said that,I do not deny that there are serious challenges:the gap between income growth in the rural and urban areas,corruption amongst some government officials and environmental pollution,to name a few.But to meet the challenges,the government is laying greater emphasis on the quality of development instead of only pursuing a high growth rate.The objective of the government is to achieve coordinated economic,political,cultural and social development,and address the imbalances of development between the urban and rural areas and between different regions in China.
The fast changes in the economy and social structure have further shifted the priority of governments at all levels to the social and human dimension for greater security and well—being of the Chinese public.
There is also growing access to information,with over 600million telephone users,including 300million cell phone subscribers and 87million Internet users.Every week 780million emails are sent.And although there are a great number of newspapers,many people count on the Internet as the primary source of information.
Political restructuring is gradually moving forward in China.Direct elections,for example,have been introduced in rural China at grass—root level.Scrutiny by the media and the general public enables better—developed policies and greater transparency.
With its development,China is also contributing to the region and the world.In 2003,for the first time,China became the largest buyer from Asian countries.In the newly published World Economic Situation and Prospects by the United Nations,China and the United States were named as the two major engines for world growth.The world is talking about the rise of China.But we in China are keenly aware that the rise will be a long,challenging process.When compared with Australia,our per capita GDP is less than 4%of yours.
Australia is regarded in China as an important partner for cooperation.When President Hu Jintao visited Australia last year,he said,"China views our relations with Australia from a strategic perspective."We aim to build up our political trust,develop comprehensive cooperation and work together with Australia to maintain peace and stability in the region.
I have recently accompanied the Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army General Liang Guanglie during his visit to Australia.On our visits to military camps and installations in Sydney and Darwin,I noticed that we share common views on the security situation in the region and on the need to combat terrorism,as well as on promoting development.
Our two economies are very complementary.Australia is rich in energy,mineral resources and knowledge.China on the other hand,has a massive and fast—growing manufacturing sector.So our cooperation will work to the benefit of the two peoples.
Education is one important area of cooperation where China would like to see further expansion of our cooperation in higher learning and on—campus research.We are pleased with the successful results of the shadowing programme,which is now in its fourth round.I understand many of the universities represented here have already set up relationships with universities in China.There are still many more waiting for your outreach.I hope you will explore further and set up more linkages.
Last year in Sydney,President Hu Jintao witnessed the signing of the agreement on mutual recognition of university degrees.We hope we can make one step further and move into mutual recognition of university credits.This would enable more students from both countries to benefit from the exchange programmes and I understand that a number of universities are already working on it.
Before I left China,Vice Minister of Education Zhang Xinsheng asked me to encourage inter—university cooperation on packaged programmes for training,research and production.We have had some success in this area,which helped introducing agricultural and industrial technologies into China.But now,an industrialising China has a great need for technologies.This is also a new opportunity for Australian research institutions.
I have been here for eight months and I am feeling very lucky to be appointed as the Ambassador to Australia at a time when our relations are growing with such momentum.I see my role as helping to advance China—Australia relations in all fields.But I cannot fulfil my task without your support,so the Chinese Embassy and I are always here ready to assist you and work with you to promote our friendship and cooperation.
Thank you.