格哈德施羅德：期待中國，期待上海

在當(dāng)前全球化時代，中國對我們的世界來說至關(guān)重要，在不久的將來，將崛起為重要的經(jīng)濟(jì)和政治上的貢獻(xiàn)者，并將成為踐行其和平、公正和發(fā)展的國際責(zé)任的現(xiàn)代國家。在全球和平發(fā)展方面，中國發(fā)揮著必不可少的作用。沒有中國，任何國際沖突與挑戰(zhàn)都不可能獲得解決。

世界在期盼著中國2010年上海世博會的開幕。預(yù)計觀眾將達(dá)7000萬人次，人數(shù)令人驚嘆。世博會的主題“城市，讓生活更美好”不僅非常有意義，而且很重要。全球各地的國家和地區(qū)都面臨城市化的挑戰(zhàn)。

我們?nèi)绾螒?yīng)對這一挑戰(zhàn)？我們應(yīng)該保持和改善不斷增加的城市人口的生活質(zhì)量。因此，我們需要尋求一種可持續(xù)的政策，精心使用可用資源，如水、空氣和土壤，使我們較少地依賴化石燃料。只有當(dāng)我們依賴更高的能效，在全球范圍內(nèi)使用可再生資源，這一切才有可能。

毫無疑問，中國將呈現(xiàn)給世界一個成功和難忘的世博會。我確信：上海將成為世界各地客人的熱情東道主。

Gerhard Schroeder, born in 1944, was the Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. As a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, he led a coalition government with the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer. He visited China a number of times while serving as Chancellor.

In the current era of globalization, China is of vital importance for our world. It is emerging as a major economic and political player and as a modern country that lives up to its international responsibilities for peace, justice and development. When it comes to peaceful global development, China has a vital role to play. No international conflicts or challenges can be resolved without China.

The world is looking forward to the start of World Expo Shanghai in 2010. The Expo’s theme “Better City, Better Life” is interesting and relevant. Countries and regions all over the world face the challenge of urbanization. How can we respond to this challenge?

We should maintain and improve the quality of life for a rising number of urban citizens. Therefore, we need to pursue a sustainable policy that will make careful use of available resources such as water, air and soil, and make us less dependent on fossil fuels. This will only be possible if we rely on greater energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources worldwide.

There is no doubt that China will present to the world a successful and unforgettable exposition. I am convinced Shanghai will be a great host to guests from all over the world.