Keynote Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the University of St Andrews: Ever to be Open, Ever to Excel
The University of St Andrews, 2 May 2018
尊敬的圣安德魯斯大學校長梅普斯頓女士，
尊敬的蘇格蘭商會主席蒂姆·阿蘭先生，
老師們、同學們，
女士們、先生們，
很高興訪問美麗的圣安德魯斯大學。我出任中國駐英國大使已經(jīng)八年有余，走訪了英國不少大學，一直期盼訪問圣安德魯斯大學，但一直未能找到機會。今天我終于來了，這使我想起我在大學學到的一句英國諺語：“可口的晚餐不怕晚”（It is never too late to have a delicious supper）。然而，我來英國后曾向英國朋友討教，他們有的說這不是英國諺語，有的說這是。不管是不是，我今天來圣安德魯斯大學的目的不是為了一頓可口的晚餐，雖然我要感謝梅普斯頓校長剛剛款待了我一頓可口的午餐。我還要感謝梅普斯頓校長告訴了我一句地道的蘇格蘭諺語：“彭斯之夜晚餐不怕晚”（It is never too late to have a Burns Supper）。
Vice Chancellor Mapstone,
Mr. Allan,
Teachers and Students,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is a real delight to come to the beautiful campus of the University of St Andrews.
I have visited many British universities during my eight years as Chinese Ambassador to the UK. The University of St Andrews, however, remains on my wish list until the opportunity presents itself today.
This reminds me of an English proverb I learned at college which goes "It is never too late to have a delicious supper." Since coming to Britain, I have consulted my friends in this country. Some say it is not an English proverb. Others say it is.
Anyway, a delicious supper is not my reason to be here, although I thank Vice-Chancellor Mapstone for treating me to a delicious lunch a moment ago. I also want to thank the Vice-Chancellor for sharing with me a Scottish saying about supper: "It is never too late to have a Burn's supper".
言歸正傳，我此訪的目的，一是感受圣安德魯斯大學悠久的歷史傳承和厚重的文化底蘊；二是與圣安德魯斯大學的老師和同學們就當今世界重大議題進行交流。
圣安德魯斯大學歷史悠久，人才輩出，培育了美國開國元勛、《獨立宣言》簽署者威爾遜和威瑟斯彭，5位諾貝爾獎獲得者，以及對數(shù)發(fā)明人納皮爾，世界上第一個研制出天花疫苗的“免疫學之父”詹納，還有劍橋公爵威廉王子和公爵夫人凱特王妃。
圣安德魯斯大學與中國也很有緣分，不僅同中國人民大學和香港大學建立了學生交換項目，也同中國國家留學基金委員簽訂合約，聯(lián)合培養(yǎng)中國高質量的博士學生。目前有超過550名中國學生在此學習。
Coming back to my reasons to visit St Andrews, they are first of all to appreciate the University's time-honoured history and rich cultural heritage, and second, to meet you, the teachers and students and exchange views on important issues of our world today.
I am overwhelmed by St Andrews' splendid list of alumni:
Five Nobel laureates;
John Napier, discoverer of logarithms;
Edward Jenner, the pioneer of smallpox vaccine and father of immunology;
James Wilson and John Witherspoon, founding fathers of the United States of America and signatories of the Declaration of Independence;
And Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
I am also impressed by St. Andrews' close ties with China. These include the student exchange programmes with Renmin University of China and the University of Hong Kong, and the joint Chinese PHD students programme with the China Scholarship Council. As I speak, there are over 550 Chinese students studying at St. Andrews.
上一篇：駐加拿大大使盧沙野發(fā)表署名文章：《請正確認識中國“一帶一路”倡議》
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