Introductory
Speech on the Occasion of the Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s
Republic of China
Iñigo Méndez De Vigo, President
of the College of Europe
Brugels, 1 April 2014 Your
Majesties, President
of the People’s Republic of China, President
of the European Council, Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, High
Representative for Foreign Affairs of the EU Commissioners,
President
of the Committee of the Regions, Ladies
and gentlemen,
On behalf of the College of
Europe it is an honour to welcome His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the
People’s Republic of China.
What a great opportunity it is
for this institution to listen this morning to your speech on the future of
Europe and our relations with your country. Si
Chusi Zaoshan jao (sí chuusi tsaoshán
jáao) .
For the last six decades, the
College of Europe has been devoted to European integration. Today, the College
is the most prestigious postgraduate institution in Europe. 330 students in
Bruges and up to 120 students in Natolin from more than 50 countries work together
following an intensive programme. The idea of its founder, Salvador de
Madariaga, was to establish a College where university graduates from many
different countries could study and live together to overcome the war, support
coexistence and build up the European way of live. In 2014, the European way of
life means peace, progress, democracy, respect of human rights, cohesion and
solidarity. The relationship between China
and Europe is based on trust and loyalty. As a Spanish philosopher, Ortega y
Gassett, once said: “loyalty is the shortest path between two hearts”. The
EU-China Strategic Partnership provides us with a valuable framework to reinforce
our relations. But may I say that the real soul of a Strategic partnership are
the people who make it possible. At the end of the day, it is us, politicians,
professors, researchers, students who bring about our mutual understanding to
build a good relationship between our two societies. This is the idea that underlies
in the creation of the College of Europe.
Just a few days ago the students
of the College of Europe had the opportunity to meet Barack Obama, President of
the USA. Now they have the chance to meet another world leader. These students
are preparing themselves to be the future European leaders. They will be the
ones who will have to deal with those future leaders you are now training in
China.
Cooperation in education,
research, training, science and culture mutually enriches China and Europe. It
also contributes to overcome our society’s weaknesses and to allow us to look
to the future with confidence and optimism. As Confucius said in the Analects: “Education
breeds confidence; confidence breeds hope; hope breeds peace.”
Thank you very much. |
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