外国人问：为什么中国年轻人这么爱国？

经济快速发展和社会长期稳定“两大奇迹”

中国创造了世所罕见的经济快速发展和社会长期稳定“两大奇迹”，2010年，一跃成为世界第二大经济体；2021年，9899万农村贫困人口全部脱贫，超过2500万贫困青年彻底摆脱贫困。

China has achieved unprecedented, rapid economic development as well as long-term social stability. In 2010, China assumed the position of the second largest economy in the world. A total of 98.99 million of China's rural population have been lifted from poverty, and over 25 million impoverished youth have escaped poverty.

年轻人受到更好的教育

年轻人受到更好的教育。2021年，中国义务教育巩固率达95.4%；高中阶段毛入学率达91.4%；高等教育毛入学率达57.8%，在学总规模达4430万人，居世界第一。更多贫困地区青年通过国家政策，享受到更好的教育，有效阻断贫困的代际传递。

The youth have also received better and more widespread education. By 2021, the completion rate of compulsory education in China reached 95.4%, with a gross high school admission rate of 91.4%, a gross higher education admission rate of 57.8%, and 44.3 million students on campus, ranking first in the world.

Through national policies, more and more youth in impoverished areas have access to better education, effectively blocking the intergenerational transmission of poverty.

中国日报 李旻 绘

年轻人更加开放自信地融入世界。1978年，中国选派出国留学人员仅800余名；2019年，超过70万人出国深造；回国留学人员也从1978年的248人增长到2019年的超58万人。

The youth are embracing the world with greater openness and confidence. In 1978, China only sent around 800 students abroad. In 2019, more than 700,000 Chinese students went abroad to undertake education courses. The number of Chinese overseas returnees grew from 248 in 1978 to more than 580,000 in 2019. 

哥伦比亚大学毕业典礼上的中国留学生 

新华社 王迎 摄

与此同时，大批中国青年通过旅游、工作等方式走出国门、感知世界，越来越多的中国年轻人在世界舞台崭露头角。Z世代在参与世界的过程中，学会平视世界，辩证思考，理性爱国。

In addition, a large number of Chinese youth go abroad for travel and work, which has enabled them to better understand the world and provided them a platform to receive worldwide recognition. Generation Z has learned much from their travels and can see the world as equal, think critically, and be sensible patriots. 

2022北京冬奥会男子单板滑雪大跳台冠军苏翊鸣

中国日报 王雨曦 摄

中国近代经历的百年屈辱史也使得年轻人更加爱国。

1840年，英国用鸦片战争打开了中国国门。随后，中国变成了西方列强眼中的一块肥肉，领土被瓜分、宝藏被掠夺，著名的“万园之园”圆明园被焚毁殆尽。软弱的清政府被迫签订了一系列不平等条约，中国主权尽失，政治、经济、军事等大事都不由自己做主。

The century-old history of humiliation experienced by China has also made young people more patriotic.

In 1840, Britain made China vulnerable to the world with the Opium War. After that, China was reduced to a buffet for all the imperialist powers. The country’s land was divided, treasures plundered, and Yuanming Yuan, the “Garden of all Gardens”, was burnt to the ground. Unable to put up a meaningful fight, the Qing government was forced into a series of unequal treaties. China’s sovereignty was lost, and its politics, economy, and military matters were placed into the hands of the others.

圆明园遗址公园 图源：IC

In 1931, the “September 18 Incident” started the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, which led to the Nanjing Massacre, wherein a coordinated, ruthless attack by the Japanese army killed over 300,000 unjust souls, in just 6 weeks. The notorious “Unit 731” started germ warfare, prohibited by International Law, using their biochemical weapons to experiment on live Chinese people. China truly faced its extinction.

参观者在中国人民抗日战争纪念馆内参观 

中国日报 魏晓昊 摄

因为经历过国土沦丧之痛，所以中国人更热爱如今独立自主、日渐强大的祖国。

With the humiliation and pain of having lost their country in the past, the Chinese people are now more in love with the independent, strong China than ever before.

中国代表了一个源源不断的文明。各朝历史都有文字记载，文化传承绵延至今，因此中国年轻人对中华文化历史有很高的认同感。

China is an everlasting civilization. Each dynasty has its own detailed written records, passing on its culture to the modern day. Due to this, young people in China have a strong sense of identification with Chinese culture.

16岁的武亦姝在央视《中国诗词大会》上

而在这绵延不绝的文明当中，“爱国思想”非常重要，它贯穿了始终。

In this everlasting culture, the idea of patriotism is of paramount importance, as it has run consistently throughout all of Chinese history.

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