然而，西方世界的很多人仍然覺得了解中國是件很難的事。而中國也有民眾對西方世界到底用意如何有疑慮。

However, many people in the Western world find it difficult to understand China. On the other hand, there is also wariness on the part of the Chinese people about the Western world’s intention on China. 

那么，中國到底是一個什么樣的國家呢？其實很難用一句簡單的話來回答，因為中國太大了，太多樣化了，變化太快了。在我看來，今天的中國究其實質，是一個具有多重性特征的大國。

So after all, how can one define China? I’m afraid it defies a simple answer. China is too big, too diverse and too fast changing to be characterized easily. I would say that China is a multi-faceted power.

下面請允許我具體介紹一下：

Let me explain what I mean.

第一， 中國是一個在過去30年中實現高速發展的國家。

First, China is a country that is rapidly transformed over the past 30 years. China’s leapfrogging progress can be seen in the following figures:

1996年，中國GDP是1萬億元，到2008年則增長到20萬億元，13年的時間里增長了20倍，成為世界第三大經濟體。2008年，中國一天創造的經濟價值超過1952年一年的總量。中國利用快速增加的財富使2.5億人在過去的30年里擺脫了貧困。因此，當我看到聯合國關于消除饑餓的報告時，不禁為中國取得的成就而感到自豪，中國用占世界僅7%的可耕地，養活了占世界20%的人口。

In 1996, China’s GDP was 1 trillion Yuan, that was about 100 billion Pounds. In 2008, it grew to20 trillion Yuan (2 trillion Pounds). This means that in 13 years’ time, the Chinese economy has grown 20 times, turning into the 3rd largest economy in the world. The national wealth created in one day in 2008 was larger than the total annual output of 1952. With the newly gained wealth, China has lifted 250 million people out of poverty in the past 30 years. So when I read the UN hunger report, I do feel proud for what China has achieved, with only 7% of the world’s arable land feeding 20% of the world’s population.

在中國悠久的歷史中，吃飯問題一直是頭等大事。記得一直到８０年代，人們見面打招呼的方式都是問：“吃了嗎？”?，F在，如果你問我女兒這代人“吃了嗎？”，他們會覺得你這人大概有毛病。

Throughout China’s long history, food was always a big concern for the Chinese people and I remember that until the 1980s, the Chinese people greeted each other by asking “Have you had your meal?” But for my daughter’s generation, if you greet them in this way, they might think you have a problem.

當然，中國缺乏在世界舞臺上操作的歷史經驗，我們仍然在學習和適應自己新的全球角色。而且我們仍然需要將大部分精力投入到處理國內問題上。

Naturally, China is still learning and adjusting to its new global role, as it lacks historical experience of operating on the global stage and also it is still very much preoccupied by domestic concerns and challenges.

這引出了我要說的第二點：中國仍然是一個發展中國家。中國存在的弱點和挑戰我們中國人自己看得最清楚。

That lead to my second point, China is still a developing country. We in China are more conscious of our weaknesses and the challenges facing our country.

中國人均GDP剛達到3000美元多一點，居世界104位，排在牙買加和納米比亞之后。而英國的人均GDP是中國 的13倍。各位是否還記得英國歷史上哪一年處于同樣的收入水平？根據英國經濟學家安格斯·麥迪森的測算，那要追溯到1913年。

People tend to forget that China’s GDP in per capita term is only a little more than 3,000 dollars, ranking us as 104th in the world. We are behind countries like Jamaica and Namibia. UK’s per capita GDP is 13 times higher than China. I wonder if you remember when in history the United Kingdom was at this income level? According to British Economist Angus Maddison: It was as far back as 1913.

中國仍處在世界產業鏈的低端，中國產品的很多設計和關鍵部件都依賴進口。中國也許要出口一個集裝箱的鞋襪，才能買來一個小小的電腦芯片。

China’s manufacturing is at a fairly low value added level and most of the made in China products are made with the world as the design and key parts are often imported. We may have to export a container full of shoes and socks to pay for a tiny computer chip.

中國發展不平衡的問題也相當突出。許多外國人看到北京和上海，以為那就是中國，但若去中國廣大的西部地區看看，肯定會得出截然不同的結論。中國還處在工業化、城鎮化的早期，65%的人口是農民。有1.35億人每天生活費不足1美元。我們不能因為所取得的成就而驕傲自滿，這也正是為什么中國領導人常說，要有憂患意識，居安思危。

China also faces the serious challenge of uneven development. Many foreigners come to vibrant Beijing or Shanghai and think they have seen China. But for those who have visited China’s far west, will have a different experience and understanding. China is still in the early stage of industrialization and urbanization, with sixty five percent of its people live in the rural areas. You may be surprised to know that one hundred and thirty five million Chinese people live under less than one dollar a day.  We can’t be conceited with what we have achieved. This is why Chinese leaders often say that we need to be aware of the difficulties and risks, even when we are enjoying stability and prosperity.

當然，這并不意味著我們會無視世界對中國承擔全球責任日益上升的期待。因此，我想說的第三點是，中國正在學習承擔更大的國際責任。

That is not to say that China should ignore the growing expectations in the world for China to take on global responsibilities. So my third point is about China learning to undertake new international responsibilities.