女士们、先生们：
　　我谨代表曼城市议会，十分高兴地和你们一道参加武汉友好城市发展论坛开幕式，并对论坛设立的宗旨和目标表示支持。
　　我给你们带来了曼城人民诚挚的问候和友好的祝愿。今天，象我们这样的城市，都面临日益国际化的发展环境。在这种背景下，加强同国际间的联系与交往，有助于我们开阔视野，相互学习，对于激发广大市民关心、了解、研究国际事务也起着重要的作用。
　　曼城地处英格兰西北部，有着一段与国际社会共同奋斗的悠久而光荣的历史，这一点同样体现在它与武汉的特殊关系上，两市的友好关系可追溯至1986年，其地位与重要性与日俱增。
　　近几年来，曼城市议会参加了好几个政府及贸易代表团访问中国。过去两年中，市议会接待了大约三十个来访代表团，包括对英贸易、教育和政府代表团。
　　我们也为与中国驻曼城领事馆和华人社团的特别友好关系而骄傲。我们认为，曼城的华人社团是伦敦之外英国第二大华人组织，而且据估计，也是欧洲增长最快的华人社团。中国领事馆办公室位于曼彻斯特，分管着整个英格兰地区九个郡的领事事务。
　　 由于一些显而易见的事实，我们与中国的合作关系得到了英国政府的特别关注。随着中国的经济以令人鼓舞的7.6%的年增长率持续增长，经济发展和环保业的商机不断涌现，在教育和人事培训方面首先得到体现，我们的大学吸引着来自世界各地的学生，其中来自中国的学生人数在不断增长。
　　曼城的大学能够为海外的经理人和官员提供学习的机会，使他们更好地了解英国公司和商界，由此推动各方的经贸合作及文化交流。
中国最近加入世贸组织，将为外来投资和双向贸易打开市场，也将为英国、曼城及中国公司创造一个使各方均能受益的竞争环境。
　　我们与今天到会的来自世界其他地区友城的朋友持有一致的观点，那就是我们也希望加深与中国及本次友城论坛参与城市及代表国家之间的友谊，推动贵我双方在体育、艺术、商贸、教育、文化、科技等各方面的交流。
　　我们与中国之间以及与其他邻近欧洲国家之间已经建立的联系，遵循着一个总的原则，就是与世界各地的人们广交朋友，并提高我市在国际上的知名度。
　　我们期待着与在座的各友城之间建立更加密切的工作关系，因为我们有许多共同的愿望，都希望促进和平与相互理解。我们寻求在一个广泛的领域内的合作，包括公共管理、计划、环境和交通等，同时彼此间有许多值得学习之处。
　　曼城将在友城关系的发展中继续走在前列，并祝愿所有的代表团一切顺利！

Speech by Lord Mayor of Manchester, the United Kingdom

Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of Manchester City Council, I am pleased to be with you at this opening ceremony of the Wuhan Sister Cities Development Forum, and to be able to express our support for the aims and objectives of your organisation.
I bring you friendly greetings from the citizens of Manchester
In the spirit of trust. Today, cities like ours are operating in an increasingly International environment. International links help all of us to be outward looking in this globalising world and to learn from each other. They also play an important role in stimulating the interest of the local people who we represent, and in promoting public awareness and discussion on international issues.
Manchester has a long and proud history of working with the International communities in the North West Region of England.
This is also expressed in our special relationship with Wuhan which dates back to 1986, - a relationship which is growing in terms of status and importance.
The City Council has been involved in several civic and trade missions to China in recent years and during the last two years the City of Manchester has welcomed and hosted approximately 30 different Inward Trade, Educational and Civic missions.
We are also proud of our special relationship with the Chinese Consulate, and the Chinese community which we recognise is the second largest in the UK outside of the City of London, and according to some estimates the fastest growing in Europe. The Chinese Consulate offices are located in Manchester, representing nine different counties throughout England.
Our co-operation with China has won special attention, from the UK Government with several examples in evidence. As China’s economy continues to grow at an encouraging 7.6% a year, many economic development and environmental protection business opportunities are emerging. Education and personnel training are at the forefront of this development and our Universities attract students from all over the world with increasing numbers coming from China.
At the Universities in Manchester, we are able to provide overseas managers and officials with knowledge to gain a better understanding about UK companies and businesses, thus promoting business, trade co-operation, and cultural understanding between the respective parties.
China’s recent entry in to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will open the market for foreign investment and two way trade as well as creating a competitive environment where UK, Manchester, and Chinese Companies can benefit.
Our views are consistent with those of our colleagues here today from the many sister cities from around the world, as we also wish to promote the exchange of friendship, sports, arts, business, education, culture, science and technology between China and the other cities and nations represented at this sister cities forum.
The links we have established in China and with many of our European counterparts much closer to home, are in line with general policy of making Civic friends worldwide, and boosting the International prominence of our city.
We look forward to establishing closer working relationships with the cities present as we have much in common in our desires to promote peace and understanding. We seek co-operation across a whole number of areas including public administration, planning, the environment and transport to name but a few, and we have much to learn from each other.
The City of Manchester continues to play a lead role in such developments and I wish you all every success in your mission.