12. You've traveled widely as China's leader, and your wife is well-known for her work as a U.N. goodwill ambassador. From your experiences, what do you think the U.S. and the rest of the world don't understand about China, and similarly what do many Chinese not get about the U.S. and the rest of the world?
《華爾街日報(bào)》：作為中國國家主席，您出訪了世界上很多國家，您的夫人彭麗媛女士因?yàn)樗鳛槁?lián)合國親善大使的工作被大家熟知。從您個(gè)人經(jīng)驗(yàn)來看，您覺得美國和世界上其他國家對中國有哪些不理解的地方？而中國老百姓又對美國和世界上其他國家有哪些不理解的地方？

XI:Thirty years ago in 1985, I led a delegation to Iowa to study agricultural technology. It was my first visit to the U.S. I was deeply impressed with the advanced U.S. technology and the warmth and friendship of the American people. Since then, I have made several trips to the U.S. and hosted many American friends in China. I could tell from these personal experiences that the Chinese and Americans cherish very friendly sentiments toward each other. My wife is a performing artist and music professor. In recent years, as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and the Unesco special envoy for the Advancement of Girls' and Women's Education, she has met many Americans and people from organizations of other countries. She shares my impressions.
習(xí)近平：1985年，也就是30年前，我曾率團(tuán)前往艾奧瓦州考察農(nóng)業(yè)技術(shù)，那是我第一次到訪美國。美國的先進(jìn)技術(shù)和美國人民的熱情友好都給我留下了深刻印象。此后，我多次來過美國，也在中國接待過許多美國友人。從這些交往中，我切身體會(huì)到中美兩國人民相互懷著十分友好的感情。我的夫人長期從事聲樂表演和教學(xué)工作，近年來擔(dān)任了世界衛(wèi)生組織結(jié)核病和艾滋病防治親善大使、聯(lián)合國教科文組織促進(jìn)女童和婦女教育特使，同包括美國在內(nèi)的各國機(jī)構(gòu)和人士有很多交流，她也有同樣的感受。

Interactions between countries start with their people. Exchanges and friendship between our two peoples have a long history. Over 230 years ago, U.S. merchant vessel Empress of China sailed across vast oceans to China. Over 70 years ago, American people resolutely defied sea and gravity to help the Chinese people in their heroic fight against the aggression of Japanese militarists. Thirty-six years ago, China and the U.S. established diplomatic ties, turning a new chapter in the annals of friendly exchanges between the two peoples. What has happened proves that China-U.S. friendship transcends time and space.
國與國交往始于人民。中美兩國人民的交往和友誼源遠(yuǎn)流長。早在230多年前，美國商船“中國皇后號(hào)”遠(yuǎn)渡重洋來到中國。70多年前，在中國人民奮起抗擊日本軍國主義侵略斗爭中，美國人民跨越海洋和地心引力氣義無反顧前來中國幫助我們。36年前，中美建立外交關(guān)系，揭開兩國人民友好交往新的一頁。實(shí)踐證明，中美兩國友好可以跨越時(shí)空。

As an ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius said, “It's only natural for things to be different.” Lack of understanding between countries is indeed a question, but this is life. With so much difference in ethnicity, history, culture, religion, social system, development level and lifestyle, there are things about others that one may find hard to understand. This is for sure, but that said, it is also true that anything that is seemingly incomprehensible can be understood provided that one is ready to learn and make an effort to understand it instead of dismissing it altogether. Every civilization, distinct and colorful as it is, possesses the value for its existence. A country or a nation should cherish and protect its own culture and values, and at the same time, recognize and respect those of others. While feeling proud of one's own cultural achievements, a country or a nation must not shut its door to the outside, still less, indulge in self-aggrandizement. As an old Chinese saying goes, “Learning alone without exchanges with others will lead to ignorance.” We should be ready to learn from other civilizations and carry forward their time-honored values that transcend national borders and retain appeal in modern times. China is ready to work with the U.S. and others in the international community with a view to seeking common progress through win-win cooperation, so as to deliver greater happiness to the Chinese people and ensure peace and development for the people around the world.
中國古代思想家孟子說過：“物之不齊，物之情也。”國與國之間的確存在相互不理解的問題，但這就是生活。既然世界上存在著不同的民族、歷史、文化、宗教、 制度、發(fā)展水平、生活方式，那就肯定會(huì)存在一些相互不那么好理解的事情。但是，我認(rèn)為，一切看上去不可理解的事情都是可以理解的，關(guān)鍵是要想去理解并努力去理解，而不要排斥。豐富多彩的人類文明都有自己存在的價(jià)值。本國本民族要珍惜和維護(hù)自己的思想文化，也要承認(rèn)和尊重別國別民族的思想文化。強(qiáng)調(diào)承認(rèn)和尊重本國本民族的文明成果，不是要搞自我封閉，更不是要搞唯我獨(dú)尊。“獨(dú)學(xué)而無友，則孤陋而寡聞。”對人類社會(huì)創(chuàng)造的各種文明，我們都應(yīng)該采取學(xué)習(xí)借鑒的態(tài)度，把跨越時(shí)空、超越國度、富有永恒魅力、具有當(dāng)代價(jià)值的優(yōu)秀文化精神弘揚(yáng)起來。中國愿同包括美國在內(nèi)的國際社會(huì)一道，在發(fā)展中謀共贏，在合作中同進(jìn)步， 讓中國人民更加幸福，讓世界人民共享和平與發(fā)展成果。

Key Expressions

英文來源：華爾街日報(bào)

編輯：劉明