2019年4月23日，駐美國大使崔天凱在美國《財富》雜志發表題為《不應錯失“一帶一路”的發展機遇（Why the U.S. Shouldn’t Sit Out the Belt and Road Initiative）》的署名文章。

雙語全文如下：

Imagine the potential of China and the United States, the world's two largest, most vibrant economies collaborating on the most ambitious development project in history. The scenario is no fantasy: China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which kicked off almost six years ago, will eventually connect a vast swath of the world, creating huge yields in economic activity, and wiring the world together as never before. However, the United States remains on the sidelines, and this has implications not only in terms of missed opportunities for growth in the U.S., but for the cause of global development which needs the ingenuity and the industry of the U.S.
如果中美這兩個世界上最大、最具活力的經濟體共同推進歷史上最具雄心的發展事業，其潛力將無可限量。中國的“一帶一路”倡議正是這樣一項前景可期的事業。“一帶一路”倡議始于近六年前，將打通廣袤天地，激活經濟活動，創造可觀財富，并史無前例地將世界聯結在一起。然而，美國卻選擇置身事外，錯失了不少發展良機，這對本可從美國人的勤勞智慧中受益的全球發展也并無益處。

The BRI, which echoes the geographic footprint and spirit of the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads that linked Asia, Africa, and Europe, has indeed become a massive platform for cooperation and an engine of growth, with 126 Countries and 29 international organizations having signed BRI cooperation documents with China. Total trade between China and other Belt and Road countries has exceeded $6 trillion, and China's investment in these countries has surpassed $80 billion, with Chinese companies generating over $2 billion in tax revenue and 300,000 jobs for locals.
“一帶一路”倡議延續了聯通亞歐非的古代陸海絲綢之路的足跡，繼承并發揚了絲路精神。今天的“一帶一路”已發展為超大規模合作平臺和增長驅動。已有126個國家和29個國際組織同中國簽署了合作協議。中國同沿線國家貿易總額超過6萬億美元，對沿線國家投資超過800多億美元，上繳東道國稅費20多億美元，為當地創造了將近30萬個就業崗位。

In six short years, the BRI is already proving its value to our partners. Consider the example of Kazakhstan. As the world's largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan has-as a direct result of the BRI-gained access to the Pacific Ocean through the Lianyungang port in China. Regular China-Europe Railway Express freight services have created more than 6,000 jobs in Duisburg, Germany's logistics sector. Through BRI cooperation, countries such as Jamaica, Montenegro, and Uganda now have their first expressways, Belarus has developed its own car industry, and Sri Lanka has seen an end to its longstanding power shortages.
六年的短暫時間里，“一帶一路”倡議已向沿線國家證實了其價值所在。例如，世界最大的內陸國哈薩克斯坦因參與“一帶一路”建設在中國連云港找到了太平洋出海口。中歐班列在物流領域為德國杜伊斯堡市創造了超過6000個就業崗位。通過共建“一帶一路”，牙買加、黑山、烏干達等國建起了第一條高速公路，白俄羅斯第一次發展起了自己的汽車制造業，斯里蘭卡等國則解決了困擾多年的電力緊缺問題。

The key to BRI's success and popularity is that it focuses on addressing the development issue. The Chinese know too well that development holds the master key to all problems. As the Chinese saying goes, building the road is the first step to become prosperous. Therefore, learning from our own experience, we are ready to help others improve infrastructure and connectivity.
“一帶一路”如此快速發展、聚斂人氣，最重要的原因在于它聚焦發展這個根本性問題。中國人深諳發展是解決一切問題的總鑰匙。我們嘗過“要致富，先修路”的甜頭，愿從自身經驗出發，幫助各國改善基礎設施、增進互聯互通。

Naturally, there is no sense in building roads where there is no traffic. Indeed, once roads, bridges, ports, railways, electricity, and the like are in place, new waves of commerce shall follow. So, in addition to being a massive infrastructure project, the BRI is a force for development that will boost trade and investment with our partners, create more job opportunities for local citizens, and improve stability and quality of life.
當然，有路要有車跑，港口要有船靠，光有基礎設施還不夠，還要有經濟活動的支撐。因此我們在基建聯通基礎上致力于提振貿易投資、改善民生、增加就業、促進穩定。

Since financial bottleneck often proves to be a major challenge, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund have been established to complement organizations such as the World Bank and help narrow the funding gap.
為突破投融資瓶頸，我們設立了亞洲基礎設施投資銀行、絲路基金等，同世界銀行等合作互補，以填補資金缺口。

Furthermore, Belt and Road countries have enhanced the coordination of development strategies and people-to-people amity, because hardware connectivity alone, short of software connectivity, is inadequate to ensure the resilience of the BRI.
“硬聯通”的發展還需要“軟聯通”來維系，為使“一帶一路”更富韌性，我們積極促進各國發展戰略對接和民意相親。

Critics say that the BRI must have an underlying strategic aim or agenda. If so, then building a community with a shared future for mankind is the agenda, as first and foremost, the BRI aims to promote connectivity. The BRI is open, inclusive and transparent. It is not a geopolitical tool, nor is it designed to form an exclusive clique or impose any terms on others.
有人說，“一帶一路”必定有什么戰略意圖。如果非要這么說的話，那么從其追求“五通”看，意圖就是推動構建人類命運共同體。“一帶一路”開放、包容、透明。我們決不靠“一帶一路”搞地緣政治的一套，從不拉“小圈子”，也不排斥誰或強拉誰。

Some people have errantly characterized the BRI as a potential debt trap. But countries who have participated in and benefited from the BRI have debunked such assertions. Finance Secretary of the Philippines Carlos Dominguez publicly stated that debts owed to China accounts for only 0.65% of the country's total debt. And Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, Sri Lanka's ambassador to Beijing, dismissed the idea of "debt-trap diplomacy."
我們也聽到一些人渲染“債務陷阱”，這是無稽之談。很多參與并受益于“一帶一路”倡議的沿線國家已經站出來用事實和數據公開辟謠。菲律賓財政部長多明格斯公開表示，截至去年底中方債務僅占菲總債務的0.65%。斯里蘭卡駐華大使科迪圖瓦庫也批駁了所謂中國“債務陷阱外交”的說法。

Decisions made through the BRI framework, from project selection to investment and financing cooperation, are all based on full consultation between all parties involved, and backed by arduous risk assessment and investment feasibility studies. As a matter of fact, no country has become trapped in a debt crisis since its participation in the BRI. Quite the contrary, it is through participating in BRI cooperation that many countries have emerged from the trap of underdevelopment or no development. Consider the example of Kenya: Philip Mainga, acting managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation, said that the Kenyan economy and citizens have benefited from China's contribution to the expansion and upgrading of transport infrastructure in the country.
“一帶一路”合作框架下的項目選擇及投融資合作，都是各方共同商量并進行風險評估和投資可行性分析后，慎重作出的決策。事實上到目前為止，沒有一個國家因為參與共建“一帶一路”而陷入債務危機，相反，很多國家通過參與“一帶一路”合作走出了“欠發達的陷阱”、“不發展的陷阱”，比如肯尼亞。肯鐵路局代理局長說，肯經濟和民眾都從中國幫助該國擴建升級交通基礎設施中受益。

Traditional Chinese wisdom states that a man of virtue will seek to establish others while establishing himself. In this sense, as we are currently moving China's economy from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development, we also pursue quality development in BRI cooperation. The projects are designed to conform with international laws and norms governing international relations and meet international business practices and operating models.
我們在“一帶一路”建設中還堅持己欲立而立人，己欲達而達人的中國傳統哲思。例如，我們推動自身經濟由高速度增長向高質量發展轉變，在“一帶一路”建設中也同樣追求高質量，有關項目符合國際法和國際關系基本準則，符合國際通行商業慣例和運作模式。

So where is the U.S. amid all of this winning? There are countless opportunities to U.S. corporations available through BRI projects. Honeywell International is already working with partners to further oil and gas development along the Belt and Road. General Electric has signed a number of deals with partners of the BRI which will help to provide reliable power and energy to critical regions across the world. Caterpillar is working with China's initiative to help solvePakistan's severe power shortages. Meanwhile, Citibank is actively providing financing for projects through the markets along the Belt and Road. We certainly welcome more taking part.
那么美國在這一互利共贏的合作中去哪兒了呢？對美國公司而言，“一帶一路”處處有機遇。霍尼韋爾公司致力于為“一帶一路”沿線的油氣開發提供支持，通用電氣公司已同“一帶一路”合作伙伴就電力和能源供應簽署數項協議，卡特彼勒公司在“一帶一路”框架內推動解決巴基斯坦電力短缺問題，花旗銀行積極為“一帶一路”沿線各國的項目提供融資。我們歡迎更多美國公司參與其中。

In a few days, the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in China, gathering representatives from around the world to draw up a blueprint for future cooperation. Looking forward, we will continue to progress towards high-quality development through global pragmatic cooperation. We will enhance trilateral cooperation and encourage cooperation among all participating countries in third markets, achieving win-win results for all.
過幾天，中方將主辦第二屆“一帶一路”國際合作高峰論壇，各方將齊聚北京為“一帶一路”倡議走遠走實建言獻策。展望未來，“一帶一路”倡議必將在前進中不斷完善，在務實合作中實現高質量發展。我們也將加強三方合作，推動“一帶一路”建設的雙贏、多贏、共贏。

My suggestion is that the U.S. embrace this opportunity.
我給美方朋友的建議是，蹈而不可失者，機也。