On 30 June 2017, the Daily Telegraph published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming on its website entitled “Hong Kong – the pearl of the Orient – shines bright as before”. The full text is as follows:文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
2017年6月30日，英国主流大报《每日电讯报》刊登刘晓明大使题为《让香港这颗“东方明珠”绽放出更加璀璨夺目的光彩》的署名文章。全文如下：文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
Hong Kong – the Pearl of the Orient – Shines Bright as Before文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
让香港这颗“东方明珠”绽放出更加璀璨夺目的光彩文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
July 1 marks the twentieth anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
今年7月1日是香港回归中国20周年。文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/3122.html
For twenty years, the Chinese Government has stayed committed to the principles of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy.
Thanks to this commitment, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has enjoyed continued prosperity and stability and achieved widely recognized success in delivering vibrant growth, democratic governance and a free society.
Twenty years on, Hong Kong has doubled its GDP, sustained an annual growth rate that is higher than most developed economies and emerged unscathed from the Asian financial upheavals in 1997, the SARS epidemic of 2003 and the international financial crisis of 2008.
This metropolitan city has further consolidated its position as a global financial, trading and shipping hub. Today, it is the world’s fourth largest financial centre, the eighth largest trading entity, the fourth largest shipping register, the fifth largest container port and home to the world’s busiest air cargo terminal. Seventy of the world’s top 100 banks have set up offices here. For the past 20 years, Hong Kong has been one of the freest and most competitive economies in the world.
20年来，中国中央政府坚定贯彻落实“一国两制”、“港人治港”、高度自治方针。香港继续保持繁荣稳定，各领域发展成就斐然，举世公认。
20年来，香港经济充满活力。香港成功抵御亚洲金融危机、非典疫情和国际金融危机，经济总量翻了一番,年均增长率在主要发达经济体中位居前列。香港继续保持国际金融、贸易、航运中心地位，是全球第四大金融中心、第八大贸易实体、第四大船舶注册地、第五大集装箱吞吐港，机场货运量多年高居全球首位。截至2016年12月，全球排名前100位的银行中，约70家在香港落户。香港连续20年荣膺全球最自由经济体，经济竞争力连年冠居全球。
The citizens of Hong Kong enjoy unprecedented democratic rights, including in elections for the head of the local government - the last of which was held in March. The Legislative Council has had its seats increased from 60 to 70 and the election committee has been enlarged from 400 to 1200. We have higher voter registration and turnout.
Rule of law in Hong Kong has been strengthened, evidenced by its significant rise in world safety rankings from 60th place in 1996 to 11th place in the 2015.
Twenty years on, Hong Kong, as one of the world’s top rule-based societies, also leads in the Human Freedom Index and has kept a good record in protecting basic rights and freedom.
From political stability, governance efficiency, regulatory quality and the rule of law, to control of corruption, right to expression and systems of accountability, all indicators suggest that Hong Kong is doing far better than in pre-return times.
20年来，香港人民享有前所未有的民主权利。行政长官历史上首次通过选举产生——今年3月，林郑月娥女士当选第五任香港特区行政长官，成为香港民主的最新成功实践。立法会议席数由60席增加至70席，行政长官选举委员会委员由400名增加至1200名，登记选民数和投票率均创历史新高。香港法治在世界上名列前茅，法治水平全球排名从1996年的60多位大幅跃升至2015年的第11位。
Twenty years after Hong Kong’s return, misunderstandings of “one country, two systems” and skepticism of Hong Kong’s future still exist among some people in Hong Kong and internationally. Like Gollum’s infatuation with the Ring in Lord of the Rings, some of them are entrenched in their colonialist illusion. Some extreme elements even clamoured for so-called “Hong Kong independence”. This will lead to nowhere but cost Hong Kong its prosperity and stability.
香港回归中国已经20年，但香港及国际上仍有人对“一国两制”、对香港发展存在一些误解和疑虑，甚至有些人像《指环王》中的咕噜姆一样，思想扭曲、固守不属于自己的东西，怀抱殖民时代的虚无幻想，还有少数极端分子妄想推动香港“独立”，严重威胁香港的繁荣稳定。
History does not lie. The past two decades prove that the “one country, two systems” policy has ensured common development of Hong Kong and China’s mainland.
It is the fundamental guarantee and best arrangement for Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability.
The problems and challenges Hong Kong faces at present are “growing pains” which will be healed by opportunities on the way ahead, like the Belt and Road Initiative and the grand plan of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Big Bay Area. These opportunities will sustain Hong Kong’s future growth and external cooperation.
事实充分证明，“一国两制”促进了香港和内地的共同发展，是香港长期繁荣稳定的根本保障和最佳制度安排。香港在发展中面临一些新问题、新挑战，但这是成长中的烦恼，是前进中的起伏。但总的看，机遇大于挑战，希望多于困难。“一带一路”倡议、粤港澳大湾区规划，必将为香港今后发展以及对外合作带来难得机遇和广阔前景。
Hong Kong is now an integral part of China. Separatist attempts, including for so-called “Hong Kong independence”, will not be tolerated, and foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs will be opposed.
Whatever the circumstances, China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability in the long run must be maintained. And as a fundamental policy, “one country, two systems” will be strictly followed.
我想强调的是，香港已经回归中国，香港是中国的香港。中国不容分裂，“港独”没有出路。无论形势如何变化，中国中央政府维护国家主权、安全和发展利益、保持香港长期繁荣稳定的根本宗旨不会变，贯彻 “一国两制”的坚定决心不会变，反对外部势力干涉香港事务的立场不会变。
Hong Kong since its return has increasingly become a bridge between China and Britain.
Ensuring Hong Kong’s success within the framework of “one country, two systems” is a shared commitment and serves the common interests of both countries. I hope the British people will realise the harm of so-called “Hong Kong independence” and share our commitment to maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, and to advance exchange and cooperation between China and Britain, and between Hong Kong and Britain.
香港回归以来，日益成为中英关系的重要桥梁和纽带。中英双方在维护“一国两制”、维护香港繁荣稳定上拥有广泛共识和共同利益。希望英国各界切实认清“港独”危害，积极支持中国中央政府和香港特区政府维护香港繁荣稳定的努力，积极促进中英、港英交流与合作。
For Hong Kong, 20 years of return is a landmark in its history and a new starting point towards a brighter future.
I have no doubt this “Pearl of the Orient” will continue to shine ever more brightly in the “Golden Era” of China-UK relations.
香港回归20周年，是香港发展历史上的重要里程碑，也是香港迈向美好未来的新起点。展望未来，香港这颗东方明珠，正焕发出更加璀璨的光彩，也必将为中英关系“黄金时代”贡献更多“黄金成果”。
