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，出訪比利時期間，中國國家主席習近平和夫人彭麗媛出席了天堂動物園“大熊貓園”開園儀式。談及此，比利時天堂公園創(chuàng)始人兼園長埃里克·董伯至今難以忘懷。

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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?jīng)Q定向比利時提供兩只大熊貓用于聯(lián)合科學研究，大熊貓星徽和好好剛從中國來到這里落戶。

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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.

在菲利普國王和瑪?shù)贍柕峦鹾蟮呐阃?，習近平主席來到位于比利時首都布魯塞爾西南約60公里處的天堂動物園，為大熊貓園揭幕，兩國元首夫婦還共同為一棵玉蘭樹培上新土。

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"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."

“我們感到非常榮幸，”董伯談到這次訪問時說，這是比利時國王以外的國家元首第一次參觀動物園和花園。“我們一起度過了一個多小時。那是一段美好的時光?！?/p>

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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.

董伯說，他很驚訝中國國家主席對古典園林如此了解。

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

他還對習近平主席像真正的園丁一樣種植玉蘭樹印象深刻，這與許多政府官員不同。

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

“他是一個非常謙虛、低調(diào)、出色的人。”

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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".

“中國園”占地 4.5萬平方米，現(xiàn)在已是五只大熊貓的家。中國園由來自上海的工人建造，董伯說他們是“真朋友、好朋友”。

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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、亭臺、廟宇、橋梁、假山、雕塑、盆景、竹林、中藥材、花卉等來自中國的花卉和樹木，以及茶館和中餐廳，園內(nèi)極具中國特色的元素讓游客仿若“暢游中國”。

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

“中國園”融合了哲學、歷史、傳說、宗教和其他象征符號，天堂公園的導覽圖介紹說。

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

董伯說，在這樣的環(huán)境中大熊貓對游客來說很重要。

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"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."

“這是開放文化的絕佳機會。我們能夠從其他文化和哲學中學習智慧?！?/p>

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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.

董伯很高興的見證，建造花園的中國工人懷著激動地心情見到了自己國家的領(lǐng)袖，并與之握手。

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"It was a beautiful moment," he said.

“那是一個美好的時刻，”他說。

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

“這些工人一直在努力工作。他們是偉大的工人?！?/p>

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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，中國園的牌樓頂上寫著“中國夢”大字，恰巧與習近平主席提出的實現(xiàn)中華民族偉大復興的中國夢的口號一致。

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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，中國國家元首時隔27年對比利時進行國事訪問。

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

習近平主席和夫人彭麗媛在機場受到時任比利時首相迪呂波的歡迎。

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

會見前，菲利普國王為習近平主席舉行了隆重歡迎儀式。

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

訪比期間，習近平還向比利時無名烈士墓敬獻了花圈。

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He had talks with Di Rupo and parliamentary leaders.

習近平主席同比利時首相迪呂波和議會領(lǐng)導人舉行了會談。

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

兩國簽署了涉及經(jīng)貿(mào)、科技和教育等領(lǐng)域的合作文件。

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

除動物園外，習近平主席在菲利普國王和瑪?shù)贍柕峦鹾笈阃逻€參觀了沃爾沃汽車公司根特工廠。

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

習近平還在比利時布魯日歐洲學院向廣大師生發(fā)表了關(guān)于中華文明和中歐關(guān)系的重要演講。

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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.

在布魯塞爾期間，習近平還訪問了歐盟總部并會見了歐盟領(lǐng)導人，成為1975年中歐建交以來首位訪問歐盟總部的中國國家元首。

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

僅僅一年后的 2015 年 6 月 23 日，應習近平主席的邀請，菲利普國王對中國進行了為期一周的國事訪問。

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

這是菲利普國王自 2013 年 7 月加冕以來的首場海外國事訪問。

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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，習近平主席同菲利普國王互致兩國建交50周年賀電。

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

幾十年來，中國和比利時的關(guān)系有了長足發(fā)展。

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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.

比利時政府稱，去年兩國雙邊貿(mào)易額為 328 億歐元（約2312億元人民幣），比 2020 年增長了 22.8%。

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

兩國現(xiàn)有32對友好城市。

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"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.

“中比堅持自由貿(mào)易和開放型世界經(jīng)濟，歡迎對方企業(yè)和人民，積極開展各領(lǐng)域務實合作，不僅讓自己受益，而且通過合作推動對方發(fā)展?！?中國駐比利時大使曹忠明去年10月在《中國日報》一篇紀念中比建交50周年的文章中寫道。

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

董伯說，疫情暴發(fā)前，他每年都訪問中國，已經(jīng)到過中國25次。

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

在其中一次訪問期間，他再次見到了習主席和夫人彭麗媛。

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

這是在習近平主席到訪天堂公園一年后，董伯與比利時代表團一起到訪北京并參加晚宴。

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

在簡短的交談中，彭麗媛問到大熊貓星徽和好好是否已經(jīng)有了下一代。

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

董伯說：“夫人，我保證很快就會有幼崽的。”

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

不久后，他開始聯(lián)系星徽和好好老家四川的大熊貓科學家。

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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寶。

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It was the first giant panda born in Belgium.

這是在比利時出生的第一只大熊貓。

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"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，動物園工作人員和大熊貓粉絲為天寶慶祝六歲生日時，董伯告訴《中國日報》：“從某種意義上說，天寶的出生也是一種承諾。”

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

2019年8月8日，好好再次通過人工授精產(chǎn)下雙胞胎幼崽。

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

雄性幼崽取名寶弟，雌性幼崽叫寶妹，用董伯的話來說是“龍鳳胎”，這是中國的傳統(tǒng)稱呼。

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

董伯說，由于疫情，他仍無法前往中國，這讓他感到遺憾。

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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.

他曾到蘇州領(lǐng)略中國傳統(tǒng)園林，到福建品味茶文化和客家文化，到景德鎮(zhèn)探尋中國瓷器，到宜興探尋中國陶器的魅力。

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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.

董伯說，他從小就對中國文化和發(fā)明著迷，當時他的父母在家中擺放有中國瓷器和唐代雕塑。

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

他還對中國的絲綢和茶文化產(chǎn)生了濃厚的興趣。

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

從海蜇到豆腐乳，他簡直愛上了中餐。

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

“我一定有中國血統(tǒng)，”董伯說。

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

“我對其他國家沒有這種感覺?！?/p>

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(記者：陳衛(wèi)華，編譯：齊磊）

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