Southwest China and UK – Powering Ahead
受中国西南英国商会邀请，我最近为其建会20年周岁版特刊写了一篇回顾西南与英国友好交流与合作的回顾。
很巧的是，今年也正好是我个人从事中英 / 外交流与合作的二十周年。20年前的这个时候，我刚刚从川外毕业，通过参加四川省面向全省应届毕业生的首次公务员招考，在700多名考生中以全省第二名的成绩，被四川省外办录用为公务员。
我依然生动地记得7月7日这天，我骑着自行车来到位于锦江大礼堂的四川省外办报道的情形。夏日的雨后，潮湿的空气里还能尝到泥土的新鲜气息。当时，我怀揣着对外事工作的美好憧憬和刚刚毕业的忐忑，没有想到的是从哪一天起，自己的职业追求和生涯就已经启动，并且二十年来未改初衷。
英商会成立于1997 年，致力于“联系、分享、提升”英国在中国西南的商业及投资。该商会是中国西南地区最为活跃的外商商会。这本杂志的特刊庆祝了中国西南英国商会、商会会员及合作伙伴在过去20 年中所取得的成功。自1997 年以来，中国西南以及整个中国的商业形势发生了翻天覆地的变化。英商会以惊人的速度发展壮大起来，与英国文化教育协会、英国国际贸易部、中英两国政府等联手合作，英商会已经成为了英国政府在宣传中英双边贸易的可靠伙伴。
我个人也借此机会默默回顾了自己从省外办到英国留学、留学后担任“莱斯特郡——四川省贸易局”协调员、后来成为英国中东部地区发展署中国商务顾问，以及最近六年来在诺丁汉大学从事与中国的知识交流合作的个人历程。阅读我的另一篇文章
能以我个人的方式成为这二十年英国在中国西南历史的参与者和见证人，吾之幸也！
特刊里也写了《双城记：莱斯特与重庆》的故事。
我的撰文如下：
Southwest China’s links with the UK dated far back before China became an increasingly important economic power in the global marketplace.
中国作为经济强国在国际市场中占有的地位日益重要，而中国西南与英国的友谊要追溯到很久之前。
Twinned with Sichuan Province since 1988, Leicestershire was one of only three regions in the country to be awarded a HSBC grant, administered by the British Council, to support the development of school partnerships with China in 2006. Since then dozens of sister schools have been established, some of which are still going strong today. These education exchanges have widened the horizon of our children and enabled the schools to share experiences on teaching and learning. It was a great testament to the strength of the friendship when following the 2008 Sichuan Earthquakes sister schools in Leicestershire and Chinese community in Nottingham City were mobilised to raise relief fund and offer support to their peers in the stricken schools.
英国莱斯特郡就与四川省早在1988年就结为友好关系。2006年，莱斯特郡是获得英国文化教育协会的资助的三个地区之一，参与了中英学校发展合作伙伴项目。自此，莱斯特地区的22所学校与四川省和重庆市建立了不同程度的友好合作关系，其中有些学校至今持续交好。这些教育交流项目开阔了中英学生的国际视野，为中英教学和学习交流提供了机会。2008年发生的四川地震进一步印证了中英友好交流的良好基础。位于莱斯特郡的姊妹学校以及诺丁汉市华人社团组织纷纷动员为灾区捐款，并帮助灾区同龄学友渡过难关。
What marked the ambition of businesses in Southwest China to be a world-leading company in the global marketplace was the investment by Chongqing Chang’an Automotive, one of China’s largest car makers, into the East Midlands. Attracted by UK’s excellence in high performance engineering and business-friendly environment, Chang’an established its UK Research and Innovation Centre in Nottingham in 2010, developing partnerships with the UK’s leading universities and businesses, such as The University of Nottingham. Specialising in advanced powertrain and transmission technologies, the growth of its highly-skilled workforce has taken the company to the West Midlands 5 years later, demonstrating its long-term commitment to R&D and to the UK.
中国最大的汽车制造商之一的重庆长安汽车公司在英国的投资，代表了中国西南的先进企业，向成为世界领先企业的宏伟目标迈出了坚实的一步。2010年，受英国高端制造业研发能力和优良的商业环境吸引，长安汽车公司在诺丁汉科技园建立了长安英国研发中心，并与诺丁汉大学等一系列英国顶尖大学和企业建立了合作伙伴关系，专注先进的动力总成技术的研发。随着高技术员工队伍不断扩大，长安英国研发中心于2015年迁往中西部地区，这体现了长安汽车在英国开展研发的长远目标。
The fast expansion of Chinese businesses has created jobs in the UK and acted as catalyst to economic growth. Also in 2010, Chongqing Machinery and Electric Co acquired Manchester-based Precision Technologies Group for £20m, its continued investment in design, development and manufacturing boosting PGT’s sales growth and securing the future of its UK workforce.
中国企业的迅速发展为英国创造了大量的就业机会，拉动了英国经济增长。2010年，重庆机电集团以2000万英镑收购了曼彻斯特精密技术集团，并持续在设计、发展和制造领域投入，提高了企业的的销售额，为英国员工的未来发展提供了保障。
UK is also engaged with Southwest China’s rapid urbanisation and infrastructure development in education and innovation. Funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, The University of Nottingham delivered a conference to promote Global Building Information Modelling (BIM) standards and management training for Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries (AEC) in Southwest China in March 2017. Leveraging UK’s BIM policy and management skills in low carbon, energy-saving and sustainable development for AEC industry, the project helps improve local and international BIM practice and its standard development in Southwest China.
英国也积极参与中国西南部的快速城市化进程以及基础设施发展的教育与创新。在英国外交与联邦事务部的资助下，诺丁汉大学于2017年3月在成都举办了中国西南部促进全球建筑信息模(BIM)以及建筑和工程建筑业(ACE)标准与管理培训的会议。该项目利用英国ACE行业在低碳、节能与可持续发展方面的BIM政策和管理技能，旨在改善西南部和国际BIM措施和标准政策。
I was fortunate to have been closely involved in some of these education, trade and investment links between Southwest China and the East Midlands over the last decade, previously as the China Business Advisor of East Midlands China Business Bureau and now at Asia Business Centre of The University of Nottingham. Having worked in Sichuan Foreign Affairs Office prior to my roles in the UK, I witnessed the rise of my homeland in Southwest China and the great potential UK offers.
在过去的十几年期间，我很荣幸能密切地参与了英国中东部地区与中国西南在教育、贸易和投资方面的合作与交流，先后以英国中东部地区发展署中国商务顾问以及诺丁汉大学亚洲商务中心的不同职责。来英国任职之前，我曾在四川省外事办公室工作，这些特殊的经历让我亲眼目睹了中国西南家乡的崛起以及在英国发展的巨大潜力。
UK and China’s commitment to forging strong and lasting economic partnerships is not only for mutual economic prosperity, but also about being better connected in culture, arts, ideas and people.
中英两国建立强大持久的经济伙伴关系不仅为了促进双方经济持续繁荣，也是为了加强在文化、艺术、思想和人才方面的交流。
Leading the way in China’s Go West strategy, Southwest China plays a unique role in boosting economic growth and a higher standard of living in Western China.
中国西南部在中国西部大发展战略中处于领先地位，在提升西部地区的经济增长和生活水平方面发挥着独特的作用。
And the UK is a natural partner for Southwest China with its open and dynamic economy, strengths in innovation, reputation in creativity and world-leading education.
而英国的经济非常开放并富有活力，在创新领域具有世界领先优势，在文化创意和世界先进教育领域方面有具有国际声望。这些都使英国成为西南部绝佳的合作伙伴。
May the next wave of development opportunities in Southwest China drive deeper and stronger bonds between our two great nations.
愿中国西南部强劲的发展浪潮和机会，能让中英两国的友谊与合作更加深入和坚固。
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谈：中英贸易、科技创新、文化
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议：英国留学人生规划
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讲：英国社会、文化、生活
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论：建设英国的华人社区