美国副总统拜登在四川大学的演讲

　　我们之所以能够取得这些成就，不是因为美国人具有种独一无二的特质。很难界定美国人是什么样的人。简言之，50%的美国人口——不足50%的人口是欧洲人后裔。所以我们的国民具有难以置信的多样性。这是我们实力的一部分，也是美国人民无穷创造力的一部分。不过也有其他原因——我们的政治经济体制和我们教育孩子的方式具有经久不衰的力量。这种体制欢迎来自全球各地的移民，让我们的国家更加丰富多彩，为我们多元的跨种族社会增添活力。我还想指出，我们现在仍是世界第一的移民目的地。人们通常不会寻求迁移到衰落中的国家。
　　A system that trains students not merely to learn and accept established orthodoxy, but to challenge orthodoxy, challenge their professors, challenge the ideas put forward to them, encourage individual thought and innovation; a system that not only tolerates free expression and vigorous debate, including between citizens and their government, but celebrates and promotes those exchanges; a system in which the rule of law protects private property, provides a predictable investment climate, and ensures accountability for the poor and wealthy alike; and a system with universities that remain -- notwithstanding, and this is a great university -- the ultimate destination for scholars from around the world. More than 130 thousand students from China attended our universities last year. We’re hoping that number will be even larger.
　　这种体制训练学生不仅学习和接受传统知识，而且挑战传统知识，挑战他们的教授，挑战他们听到的观点，鼓励个人思考和创新；这种体制不仅容许自由表达和积极辩论，包括公民和政府之间的辩论，而且赞赏和促进这种交流；这种体制的法律保护私有财产，提供可预期的投资环境，确保穷人和富人都承担责任；这种体制的大学依然是世界各地学者的最终目的地——当然，你们的学校也是一所了不起的大学。去年有13万多名中国学生就读我们的大学。我们希望这个数字进一步增加。
　　China has followed a very different economic and political path to prosperity, enhancing some aspects of a free-market system, while resisting political openness and maintaining the state’s deep involvement in economic affairs. That’s a decision for you to make.
　　中国选择了非常不同的经济和政治道路迈向繁荣，增强了自由市场体系的某些方面，同时抵制政治上的开放，保持国家对经济事务的深度干预。这是你们做出的决定。
　　Maybe the biggest difference in our respective approaches are our approaches to what we refer to as human rights. I recognize that many of you in this auditorium see our advocacy of human rights as at best an intrusion, and at worst an assault on your sovereignty. I want to tell you directly that this is not our intention. Yes, for Americans there is a significant moral component to our advocacy. And we observed where we have failed, as well. But it is who our people are.
　　我们双方选择的路径的最大差异大概是我们对于什么是人权的认识。我认识到，在今天在坐的许多人看来，我们倡导人权的行动往好处说是多管闲事，往坏处说是侵犯你们的主权。我想直率地对大家说，这不是我们的意图。是的，对于美国人来说，我们的民主有明显的道义成分。我们也关注我们自己没有做好的地方。这种关注反映了美国人民的本质。
　　But President Obama and I see protecting human rights and freedoms, we see it in a larger context, as well. Protecting freedoms such as those enshrined in China’s international commitments and in China’s own constitution -- we see them as a key aspect of China’s successful emergence and the key continued growth and prosperity. I know that some in China believe that greater freedom could threaten economic progress by undermining social stability. I do not pretend to have the answer, but I believe history has shown the opposite to be true, that in the long run, greater openness is a source of stability and a sign of strength, that prosperity peaks when governments foster both free enterprise and free exchange of ideas, that liberty unlocks a people’s full potential. And in its absence, unrest festers.
　　然而，奥巴马总统和我也从更广阔的视角来看待保护人权和自由。保护中国在国际承诺和自己的宪法中阐明的那些自由——我们将之视为中国成功崛起的一个关键方面，也是中国持续增长和繁荣的一个关键方面。我知道，在中国有人认为扩大自由会破坏社会稳定，从而威胁经济发展。我不想假装知道答案，但我相信历史证明情况是相反的——从长远来看，更加开放是稳定的来源和实力的象征，最有利繁荣的情况是政府既鼓励自由创业又鼓励自由交流观点，自由使人民能够充分发挥潜能。缺乏自由则会产生社会动荡。
　　Openness, free exchange of ideas, free enterprise and liberty are among the reasons why the United States, in my view, is at this moment the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. It’s why our workers are among the most productive, why our inventors and entrepreneurs hold more patents than any other country in the world, why we are reinvesting in the fundamental sources of our strength -- education, infrastructure, innovation, and why President Obama and I are so confident that America will weather the current economic storm and emerge even stronger, just as we always have in past economic crises, and why there’s no reason why China cannot tap into the same source of strength.
　　开放、思想的自由交流、自由企业以及各方面的自由等等，在我看来都是美国现在成为世界历史上最富有国家的原因。正因为如此，我国工人位于生产率最高的行列；正因为如此，我国发明家和创业者拥有的专利比世界上任何其他国家都多；正因为如此，我们正在对我们国力的根本源泉--教育、基础设施和创新进行再投资；正因为如此，奥巴马总统和我如此坚定地相信，美国将与以往经济危机时期一样，一如既往经受当前经济风暴的考验而变得更为强大；正因为如此，没有任何理由中国不能挖掘同样的力量源泉。
　　Going forward together is going to have a lot of growing pains. As I said at the outset, in just over 30 years since I first came to China, your progress has been nothing short of incredible. I can see that here in Chengdu, the city that is leading the effort to become a major player in the innovation economy, you can feel it. You can see it in the eyes of some of you students.
　　在共同向前进的道路上定会经历很多成长的烦恼。我在一开始就说过，仅在我首次访华以来的30多年时间里，你们就已取得了令人难以置信的进步。我在成都就可以看到这一点，这个城市为成为创新经济的主要角色走在最前列。人们可以感觉到这一点。从你们一些学生的眼神中可以看到这一点。
　　Looking at this audience, there are some among you who will be the new pioneers in China’s economic development, leaving your mark on history. Just like Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple and others have had in the United States, you have the capacity and the potential and I’m sure some of you will do it.
　　看一看在场的听众，你们中有一些人将成为中国经济发展过程中新的开拓者，在历史上留下你们的印记。就像美国苹果公司创始人史蒂夫 乔布斯等人那样，你们也有这样的能力和潜力，我相信你们中间的一些人会有这样的成就。
　　I’m also proud that more than 160 Fortune 500 companies are operating in Chengdu High-tech Zone, including pioneer American businesses like Intel, Dell and Oracle. The U.S.-China relationship has also improved dramatically in the past 30 years. In order to cement this robust partnership, we have to go beyond close ties between Washington and Beijing, which we’re working on every day, go beyond it to include all levels of government, go beyond it to include classrooms and laboratories, athletic fields and boardrooms.
　　我还感到骄傲的是，有160多家《财富》世界500强公司在成都的高新技术产业开发区开展经营活动，包括因特尔、戴尔和甲骨文等开拓性的美国企业。美中关系在过去30年中取得了极大的改善。为了巩固这一坚实的伙伴关系，我们必须超越我们每天都在为之努力的华盛顿和北京之间的紧密关系，将各级政府以及教室和实验室、体育场和会议室都包括进来。
　　That’s why we launched our 100,000 Strong Initiative to boost the number of American students studying in China each year and have maintained a robust Peace Corps presence. How many Peace Corps volunteers are here today? Raise your hands. We love you guys. Welcome. Welcome. (Applause.)