2024年5月1日，中国驻英大使郑泽光应邀出席在英国贝尔法斯特市奥斯特大学举办的首届中英/北爱尔兰教育合作论坛，并发表题为《坚持开放合作正确方向》的主旨演讲。讲话全文如下：

On 1 May 2024, H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang attended and addressed the first China-UK/Northern Ireland Education Cooperation Forum held at Ulster University in Belfast at invitation and delivered a keynote speech titled “Openness and cooperation is the right way forward”. The full text of the speech is as follows:

坚持开放合作正确方向

Openness and cooperation is the right way forward

阿黛尔国王副代表，

普茨议长，

戴维信校长，

雷儒金校长，

各位市长，

女士们、先生们、朋友们：

Deputy Lieutenant Professor Alastair Adair,

Speaker Edwin Poots,

Chancellor Colin Davidson,

President Lei Rujin,

Mayors,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

很高兴再次来到奥斯特大学。感谢戴维信校长的盛情邀请。今天，我们在这里举行首届中英/北爱尔兰教育合作论坛开幕式，并庆祝贝尔法斯特艺术学院成立175周年，我谨表示热烈祝贺！

It is my great pleasure to come back to Ulster University. Thank you to Chancellor Davidson for the kind invitation. My congratulations on the opening of the first China-UK/Northern Ireland Education Cooperation Forum! And congratulations on the 175th anniversary of the Belfast School of Art.

奥斯特大学有历史底蕴，又有创新活力，教学科研水平闻名遐迩。更为可贵的是，奥斯特大学奉行开放办学理念，高度重视国际交流。刚才我们举行了贵校与湖北师范大学联合创办的中英教育语言文化交流中心揭幕仪式，并得知贵校与中国戏曲学院的合作在不断深化，还与其他好几所大学签署了合作意向书。这些合作必将进一步增强奥斯特大学多领域优势。再次对双方合作院校表示祝贺！

Ulster University is known for its long history, innovation vitality and excellence in both teaching and scientific research. 

What’s more, with a strong sense of openness, Ulster attaches great importance to international exchanges. This is well demonstrated by today’s launch of the Centre for Education, Cultural and Language Exchange by Ulster University and Hubei Normal University. 

I am also glad to learn that cooperation between Ulster University and the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts has seen continuous deepening and that Ulster has signed a number of letters of intent with other Chinese universities and colleges. 

These collaborations will certainly further enhance Ulster’s strengths in multiple fields. My congratulations again to all the institutions involved in these partnerships. 

女士们，先生们，

Ladies and gentlemen,

中国自古有尊师重教的传统。2500多年前孔子写的《论语》依然是今天中国小学生的必读内容。重视教育使中国得以创造出光辉灿烂的文明。造纸术、印刷术、火药和指南针古代四大发明从根本上改变了人类文明的进程。新中国成立75周年来，正是由于我们高度重视教育，才得以取得如此举世瞩目的成就。当前，中国正在全面推进高质量发展，加快形成新质生产力，进一步把教育科技人才放到更加重要的位置。

In China, we value education and respect teachers. This has been our long-standing tradition. The Analects of Confucius, composed more than 2,500 years ago, is still a must-read for Chinese primary school students today. 

China’s focus on education has enabled the country to create a splendid civilisation. The four great inventions of ancient China - papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass - have fundamentally changed the course of human progress. 

Over the 75 years since the founding of New China, it is also because of the great importance we place on education that we have been able to achieve great accomplishments. 

And now, China is taking concrete steps to promote high-quality development and accelerate the creation of new-quality productive forces. In this process, we are further prioritising education, science and technology, and talent cultivation.

经过75年努力，中国已建成世界上规模最大的教育体系，各级各类学校超过51万所，大中小学在校生达到2.93亿，专任教师超过1880万。基础教育各学段的普及程度已经到达或超过经合组织平均水平；高等教育已步入高质量发展阶段。2022年世界一流学科排名中，中国内地大学有14个学科排名第一，有114个学科进入前10名，名列世界第二。

With 75 years of hard work, we have put in place the world's largest education system. 

Now in China, we have more than 510,000 education institutions of different types at all levels, 293 million university, secondary and primary school students, and more than 18.8 million full-time teachers. 

The popularity of China’s basic education at different stages has reached or exceeded the OECD average, and we are now upgrading our higher education to greater quality. 

In the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, mainland Chinese universities ranked first in 14 subjects, and were listed among the top 10 in 114 subjects, the second largest number in the world.

教育事业的发展推动了科技创新。截止2023年底，中国发明专利有效量为499.1万件，居世界之首。中国全社会研发投入、高技术产业投资连续多年保持两位数增长，云计算、大数据、人工智能、区块链等新兴技术加快应用，智能终端、机器人、远程医疗等新产品、新业态不断涌现。高新技术企业数增加至约40万家，独角兽企业数量居世界第二。

Education advancement has in turn accelerated technological innovation. By the end of 2023, China owned close to 5 million valid invention patents, ranking first in the world. 

Our total input in R&D and investment in the high-tech sector has been growing at double-digit rates for several years running. 

New technologies, including cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain, are being applied at a faster pace. 

New products and new business forms such as intelligent terminals, robots and telehealth have kept emerging. 

China now has some 400,000 high-tech enterprises and ranks second globally in the number of unicorn companies.

孔子讲“三人行，必有我师”。中国坚持教育开放，积极推进教育国际交流。目前，我们已同180多个国家开展教育交流，同58个国家和地区签署了学位学历互认协议，并设立了12个UNESCO教席和姊妹大学网络。85个国家将中文纳入国民教育体系，目前海外学习中文的人数超过3000万。

Confucius said: “When walking with two other people, I can always learn something from them.” This continues to be our belief today. We remain committed to openness and international exchanges in education. 

To date, we have carried out educational exchanges with more than 180 countries, signed agreements on mutual recognition of qualifications and academic degrees with 58 countries and regions, and established 12 UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN networks. 

85 countries have incorporated Chinese language teaching into their national education curricula, and more than 30 million people outside of China are studying the language.

女士们，先生们，

Ladies and gentlemen,

当前，国际形势变乱交织，人类在应对气候变化、流行性疾病等方面面临严峻挑战，新一轮产业革命和科技革命加速发展。现在比任何时候都需要各国加强教育合作，通过合作培养更多国际性人才，并找到应对共同挑战的答案。这本应成为国际共识和民意主流，但近年来一些西方政客却不断发出杂音。他们以“维护国家安全”为借口，鼓噪“经济脱钩断链”，推动“小院高墙”，无端指责中国，反对交流合作。任何具有历史眼光、务实精神和常识的人都应坚定抵制这种杂音，坚持开放包容，坚持交流合作。

Our world today is undergoing deep transformation and increasing volatility, humanity is facing severe challenges such as climate change and infectious diseases, and a new round of industrial and technological revolution is unfolding at pace. 

Now more than ever, countries need to enhance education cooperation, work together to cultivate more talent with a global vision, and find solutions to common challenges. This should be an international consensus and a shared goal of people across the world. 

In recent years, however, there have been constant noises against it from some politicians in the West. They use “national security” as an excuse to push for "decoupling” of economies, severing of industrial and supply chains, and creation of small yards with high fences while pointing fingers at China and obstructing exchanges and collaboration. 

Anyone with a historic vision, pragmatic attitude and sound judgment should reject such noises, uphold openness and inclusiveness, and persist in exchanges and cooperation.

事实将继续证明，中英教育合作互利共赢、前景广阔。当前，在英中国留学人员近20万，其中有2000余人在奥斯特大学和贝尔法斯特女王大学学习。2013年以来，在中国参加学习和实习项目的英国学生累积超过6.7万人。我们欢迎英国派更多学生前往中国留学深造。中英本科以上合作办学项目和机构达到242个，其中就有陕西科技大学奥斯特学院。中英还合作实施了“中英数学教师交流”“中文培优”和“中英伙伴学校交流计划”等合作项目，受到两国广大师生一致好评。

Facts have and will continue to show that China-UK educational collaboration is mutually beneficial and has broad prospects. 

There are nearly 200,000 Chinese students studying in the UK, and among them, more than 2,000 are studying at Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast. Since 2013, more than 67,000 British students have studied or participated in internship programmes in China. And we hope to see more UK students going to China.

There are 242 education programmes jointly run by China and the UK at the undergraduate level or above. Ulster College at Shaanxi University of Science and Technology is a stellar example.

Other programmes such as the China-UK Mathematics Teacher Programme, the Mandarin Excellence Programme and the China-UK School Partner Programme have also been well received by teachers and students in both countries.

中国学生到英国留学，不仅丰富了校园多元文化，而且为这里学校教学科研水平的提高做出贡献。英国在华留学生也发挥了同样的作用。中英科研人员联合发表的学术论文数量增加到2019年的近16300篇。近五年来，中英合著论文引用影响力高于世界平均水平两倍的比例为24.8%。中英通过教育合作为两国培养了大批优秀人才，他们也是联通两国的友好使者。

Chinese students studying in the UK have not only enriched cultural diversity at British campuses, but also contributed to teaching and scientific research in this country. And UK students are doing the same in China.

The number of academic papers jointly published by Chinese and British researchers surged to nearly 16,300 in 2019; and in the past five years, 24.8% of the co-authored papers between our two sides have a citation impact of twice the world average.

China and the UK, through our education cooperation, have provided a large talent pool for both countries, who are also goodwill ambassadors connecting the two sides.

女士们，先生们，

Ladies and gentlemen,

中国致力于与英国各界一道，在相互尊重、平等相待的基础上，构建稳定互惠的中英关系。今年是英国大选年。我们希望两国各界人士特别是教育界人士不为杂音所惑、不被阻力所扰，持续推进教育领域双向交流与互利合作。希望奥斯特大学在这方面继续走在前列。

China is committed to working with all sectors in the UK for a steady and mutually beneficial China-UK relationship on the basis of mutual respect and equality. 

The UK will hold its general election this year. We hope that people from all walks of life in both countries, especially those in the education sector, will not be swayed by noises or disturbed by obstructions, and will continue to promote mutual learning and mutually beneficial collaboration between our two countries. Ulster University can take the lead in this regard.

中国驻英国使领馆将一如既往，为两国教育交流与合作提供支持和便利。

The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the UK will, as always, support your efforts and facilitate your educational exchanges and collaboration with your Chinese counterparts.

最后，预祝本次论坛圆满成功。

To conclude, I wish this forum a full success.

谢谢！

Thank you.