06 CHINA IN HIS EYES

 

      AN INTERVIEW WITH AIG CHAIRMAN MAURICE GREENBERG

 

XU: Ok, now, business aside, what's your personal affection towards China and Chinese people and Chinese culture?

GREENBERG: Well, the more I go to china, the more I feel close to China. I go several times a year, part of it was, I think, the five-thousand-year culture is very 2)appealing. And I think we've learned a great deal from Chinese culture, from the beauty, the patience that the Chinese exhibit. We have a lot to learn from China, and I think that's part of what is the attraction of going to china, and I have enjoyed doing business with the people in China. It's been a great experience.

XU: As the main 3)sponsor for this series of culture events, how do you think, this kind of cultural event can create and promote the 4)mutual understanding between the two...

GREENBERG: I think that the cultural exchanges benefits relationships dramatically. It's in the national interests of both our countries that the U.S. and China have a 5)constructive growing relationship with. China and the U.S. will be the two most important countries on this planet. And so it's important that we have a good understanding of each other. And that there's trust and confidence, and a lot of that comes from people, not from politicians, but from people who can appreciate the culture that each country has. You learn from us, we learn from you.

XU: And what, specifically, what shouldthe two peoples learn from each other?.

GREENBERG: We learn to appreciate your history, your paintings, your 6)sculptures, your art, your music, your clothes, and you learn from us. We appreciate when those things are exchanged. You understand people better when you understand their culture and their history. If there was no history and no culture, how do you learn from one another? If you go any place in the U.S, you will see Chinese restaurants and you will see Chinese paintings in most museums. So there is an appreciation¹ of Chinese history and culture. You have the oldest culture, a five thousand-year-old culture, we weren't even an 7)afterthought when China was developing this culture and history. So we do have an appreciation of that. And the more American people can be exposed to the Chinese culture, the more you understand the depth of their history and culture, we come to appreciate it better, and that influences political exchanges and political understanding as well. If people understand it better, politicians have to respond to the will of the people, not the other way around.

 

他眼中的中国

----许戈辉采访AGI总裁格林伯格

 

许：好，现在我们暂且不谈公事，请问您个人对中国、中国人民以及中国文化的感情是怎样的？

格林伯格：嗯，我去中国的次数越多，感觉就越亲切。我一年要去几次中国。部分原因，我认为，是其五千年悠久的文明吸引着我。而且我们已从中国文化和中国人所显示的美德与忍耐中学到了很多东西。我们还有很多要向中国学习。我认为那就是吸引我去中国的部分原因。我一直以来都喜欢跟中国人做生意，这是很好的经历。

许：作为这次文化活动的赞助商，你认为这种文化活动可以如何建立与促进我们的相互了解呢？

格林伯格：我认为文化交流可以极大地促进友好关系。这符合我们两国的国家利益。美国与中国有着建设性的伙伴关系。中美双方将成为全球最重要的两个国家。因此互相了解非常重要。像信任就来自于能欣赏对方文化的人民，而非政客。我们互相学习。

许：那么两国人民需要互相学习些什么呢？

格林伯格：学习去了解你们的历史，欣赏你们的绘画、雕塑、艺术、音乐与服饰。你们也向我们学习。只有当这些互相交流时，我们才能互相欣赏。而只有你了解他们的文化与历史时，你才能更好地了解这个民族。如果没有历史与文化，人们怎能相互学习呢？在美国的任何地方，你会看到中国餐馆，在许多博物馆里都看得到中国画。所以说我们对中国文化和历史怀有欣赏之情。你们有最悠久、长达五千年的文化。当中国在发展她的历史文化时，我们简直不值一提。因此我们的确对此怀着欣赏之情。美国人民越多地接触中国文化，就能越深地了解其历史与文化。我们会更好地了解这一点，而这点对政治往来与政治理解有一定的影响。如果人们更好地了解这一点，政客们将不得不考虑人们的意愿，而不是其他因素。

 

1) AIG: American International Group，美国国际集团，是一家享有良好声誉的美国保险集团。

2) appealing   a. 吸引人的，令人喜欢的      3) sponsor  n. 发起人，主办人

4) mutual  a.相互的，彼此的             

5) constructive  a. 建设的，建设性的

6) sculpture n. 雕刻           

7 afterthought  n.事后聪明，马后炮

 

 

1 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。