习近平主席比利时之行：增进感情 厚植友谊 President's Belgian trip fostered affection

Eric Domb, the founder and chief executive officer of the Pairi Daiza zoo and botanical garden in Belgium, beamed when he recalled a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on March 30, 2014.

2014 年 3 月 30 日，出访比利时期间，中国国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛出席了天堂动物园“大熊猫园”开园仪式。谈及此，比利时天堂公园创始人兼园长埃里克·董伯至今难以忘怀。

It was shortly after the arrival in Belgium of Xing Hui and Hao Hao, the first pair of giant pandas there.

此前，中方决定向比利时提供两只大熊猫用于联合科学研究，大熊猫星徽和好好刚从中国来到这里落户。

Accompanied by Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Xi inaugurated the Chinese garden at Pairi Daiza, including planting a magnolia tree, about 60 kilometers south of the Belgian capital of Brussels.

在菲利普国王和玛蒂尔德王后的陪同下，习近平主席来到位于比利时首都布鲁塞尔西南约60公里处的天堂动物园，为大熊猫园揭幕，两国元首夫妇还共同为一棵玉兰树培上新土。

"We were very honored," Domb said of the visit, the first trip to the zoo and garden by a head of state other than the Belgian king."We spent more than an hour together.We had a wonderful time."

“我们感到非常荣幸，”董伯谈到这次访问时说，这是比利时国王以外的国家元首第一次参观动物园和花园。“我们一起度过了一个多小时。那是一段美好的时光。”

Domb said most of the time was spent visiting the Chinese garden, and he was amazed that the Chinese president knew so much about classic gardens.

董伯说，他很惊讶中国国家主席对古典园林如此了解。

He was also impressed by how good Xi was at planting the magnolia tree like a real gardener, unlike many government officials.

他还对习近平主席像真正的园丁一样种植玉兰树印象深刻，这与许多政府官员不同。

"He was a very humble man, low-profile, fantastic."

“他是一个非常谦虚、低调、出色的人。”

The Chinese garden, occupying 45,000 square meters and now the home of the five giant pandas, was built by workers from Shanghai, people whom Domb described as "real friends and good friends".

“中国园”占地 4.5万平方米，现在已是五只大熊猫的家。中国园由来自上海的工人建造，董伯说他们是“真朋友、好朋友”。

The ponds, pavilions, temples, bridges, rocks, sculptures, potted landscape, bamboos, medicinal herbs, flowers and other trees and plants from China, as well as a teahouse and Chinese restaurant, take visitors on a tour of China.

池塘、亭台、庙宇、桥梁、假山、雕塑、盆景、竹林、中药材、花卉等来自中国的花卉和树木，以及茶馆和中餐厅，园内极具中国特色的元素让游客仿若“畅游中国”。

The Chinese gardeners summon philosophy, history, legends, religion and symbolism, Pairi Daiza, a privately owned zoo, says in its introduction to visitors.

“中国园”融合了哲学、历史、传说、宗教和其他象征符号，天堂公园的导览图介绍说。

Domb said that the giant pandas in such a surrounding are what is important to visitors.

董伯说，在这样的环境中大熊猫对游客来说很重要。

"It's a fantastic opportunity to open people to all cultures.

We have a lot to learn about other cultures and philosophies, all the wisdom."

“这是开放文化的绝佳机会。我们能够从其他文化和哲学中学习智慧。”

Domb was happy that the Chinese workers who helped build the garden at the time were so excited to see their own president and shake his hand.

董伯很高兴的见证，建造花园的中国工人怀着激动地心情见到了自己国家的领袖，并与之握手。

"It was a beautiful moment," he said.

“那是一个美好的时刻，”他说。

"These people have been working very hard.They are great workers."

“这些工人一直在努力工作。他们是伟大的工人。”

He was proud that the archway in the Chinese garden has the Chinese characters of "Chinese dream "on top, a pure coincidence with Xi's slogan on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

令他自豪的是，中国园的牌楼顶上写着“中国梦”大字，恰巧与习近平主席提出的实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦的口号一致。

Xi's visit to Belgium in 2014 was the first state visit made by a Chinese head of state to the country in 27 years.

2014年，中国国家元首时隔27年对比利时进行国事访问。

He and his wife Peng were welcomed at the airport by the then Belgian prime minister Elio Di Rupo.

习近平主席和夫人彭丽媛在机场受到时任比利时首相迪吕波的欢迎。

King Philippe held a grand welcoming ceremony for Xi before their meeting.

会见前，菲利普国王为习近平主席举行了隆重欢迎仪式。

During the visit, Xi also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

访比期间，习近平还向比利时无名烈士墓敬献了花圈。

He had talks with Di Rupo and parliamentary leaders.

习近平主席同比利时首相迪吕波和议会领导人举行了会谈。

The two countries signed agreements covering the economy and trade, science and telecommunications and education.

两国签署了涉及经贸、科技和教育等领域的合作文件。

In addition to the zoo, Xi visited the Volvo Car Group facilities in Ghent, accompanied by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.

除动物园外，习近平主席在菲利普国王和玛蒂尔德王后陪同下还参观了沃尔沃汽车公司根特工厂。

He also addressed students and faculty on Chinese civilization and China-EU relations at the College of Europe in Bruges.

习近平还在比利时布鲁日欧洲学院向广大师生发表了关于中华文明和中欧关系的重要演讲。

During his stay in Brussels, Xi also visited EU headquarters and met EU leaders, becoming the first Chinese head of state to visit EU headquarters since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and EU in 1975.

在布鲁塞尔期间，习近平还访问了欧盟总部并会见了欧盟领导人，成为1975年中欧建交以来首位访问欧盟总部的中国国家元首。

Just a year later on June 23, 2015, Xi welcomed King Philippe to Beijing for a weeklong state visit at Xi's invitation.

仅仅一年后的 2015 年 6 月 23 日，应习近平主席的邀请，菲利普国王对中国进行了为期一周的国事访问。

It was the king's first state visit overseas since he was crowned in July 2013.

这是菲利普国王自 2013 年 7 月加冕以来的首场海外国事访问。

On Oct 25, 2021, Xi and King Philippe exchanged congratulatory messages on the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

2021年10月25日，习近平主席同菲利普国王互致两国建交50周年贺电。

Ties between China and Belgium have expanded greatly over the decades.

几十年来，中国和比利时的关系有了长足发展。

According to the Belgian government, their bilateral trade was worth 32.8 billion euros ($34.3 billion) last year, 22.8 percent higher than in 2020.

比利时政府称，去年两国双边贸易额为 328 亿欧元（约2312亿元人民币），比 2020 年增长了 22.8%。

There are 32 pairs of sister cities between the two countries.

两国现有32对友好城市。

"China and Belgium have adhered to free trade and an open global economy, welcomed each other's enterprises and people, actively carried out practical cooperation in various fields, not only benefiting themselves, but driving each other's development through cooperation," China's ambassador to Belgium, Cao Zhongming, wrote in an opinion piece in China Daily in October marking the 50th anniversary of relations.

“中比坚持自由贸易和开放型世界经济，欢迎对方企业和人民，积极开展各领域务实合作，不仅让自己受益，而且通过合作推动对方发展。” 中国驻比利时大使曹忠明去年10月在《中国日报》一篇纪念中比建交50周年的文章中写道。

Before the pandemic broke out, Domb said he had visited China every year and has visited the country 25 times in total.

董伯说，疫情暴发前，他每年都访问中国，已经到过中国25次。

During one of the visits, he met Xi and Peng again.

在其中一次访问期间，他再次见到了习主席和夫人彭丽媛。

This was when Domb attended a dinner event in Beijing with the visiting Belgian delegation a year after Xi's visit to Pairi Daiza.

这是在习近平主席到访天堂公园一年后，董伯与比利时代表团一起到访北京并参加晚宴。

During a brief chat, Peng asked if the giant pandas Xing Hui and Hao Hao had a baby yet.

在简短的交谈中，彭丽媛问到大熊猫星徽和好好是否已经有了下一代。

Domb said, "Madame, I promise we will have a baby very soon."

董伯说：“夫人，我保证很快就会有幼崽的。”

He immediately started to contact giant panda scientists in Sichuan province, where Xing Hui and Hao Hao came from.

不久后，他开始联系星徽和好好老家四川的大熊猫科学家。

On June 2, 2016, Hao Hao, who had been artificially inseminated with Xing Hui's sperm, gave birth to the cub Tian Bao.

2016年6月2日，使用星徽的精子完成人工授精的好好生下了幼崽天宝。

It was the first giant panda born in Belgium.

这是在比利时出生的第一只大熊猫。

"In a sense, Tian Bao was a promise to the first lady," Domb told China Daily on June 2 when zoo staff and giant panda fans held a celebration for Tian Bao's sixth birthday.

今年6月2日，动物园工作人员和大熊猫粉丝为天宝庆祝六岁生日时，董伯告诉《中国日报》：“从某种意义上说，天宝的出生也是一种承诺。”

Hao Hao, again through artificial insemination, gave birth to twin cubs on Aug 8, 2019.

2019年8月8日，好好再次通过人工授精产下双胞胎幼崽。

One is male Bao Di and the female cub is Bao Mei, "a dragon and phoenix" in Domb's words, quoting Chinese tradition.

雄性幼崽取名宝弟，雌性幼崽叫宝妹，用董伯的话来说是“龙凤胎”，这是中国的传统称呼。

Domb said he is frustrated that he still cannot travel to China because of the pandemic.

董伯说，由于疫情，他仍无法前往中国，这让他感到遗憾。

He had relished his trips to Suzhou, Jiangsu province, to appreciate its traditional Chinese gardens, to Fujian province to discover the tea and Hakka culture, to Jingdezhen to search for Chinese porcelain and to Yixing for Chinese pottery.

他曾到苏州领略中国传统园林，到福建品味茶文化和客家文化，到景德镇探寻中国瓷器，到宜兴探寻中国陶器的魅力。

He has been fascinated by Chinese culture and inventions since his childhood, when his parents displayed Chinese porcelain and Tang Dynasty (618-907) sculptures in their home, he said.

董伯说，他从小就对中国文化和发明着迷，当时他的父母在家中摆放有中国瓷器和唐代雕塑。

He also developed a strong appreciation for Chinese silk and tea culture.

他还对中国的丝绸和茶文化产生了浓厚的兴趣。

He has fallen in love with Chinese food from jellyfish to fermented tofu.

从海蜇到豆腐乳，他简直爱上了中餐。

"I must have Chinese blood from my ancestors," Domb said.

“我一定有中国血统，”董伯说。

"I don't have such feeling with other people."

“我对其他国家没有这种感觉。”

(记者：陈卫华，编译：齐磊）