Work Together for a Better Future of China-US Relations

----- Speech by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping atDinner Marking 30th Anniversary of Establishment of China-US Diplomatic Relations

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, which we celebrate tonight at this dinner. Just now, President Carter made heart-warming remarks and expressed the ardent support and keen aspiration of people with vision from all sectors of American society for the growth of China-US relations.

On behalf of the Chinese Government and people and in my own name, I wish to extend a warm welcome to President Carter and other American friends who have traveled great distances to China. I wish to express heart-felt thanks to all of you for your long-standing contribution to the promotion of friendship and cooperation between our two great nations. I also wish to pay high tribute and extend cordial greetings to the people from all walks of life in China who have long engaged in growing China-US relations.

Your efforts have indeed paid off. Over the decades, precisely thanks to the joint efforts of the leaders and the visionary people from all walks of life in our two countries, we have successfully erected bridges for China-US cooperation across the Pacific, leading to today’s sound and all-round growth of the constructive and cooperative relationship.

In the 1970s, acting in the fundamental interests of the two peoples and people around the world, leaders of our two countries rose above the differences in ideology and social system and broke the ice of estrangement that had existed for years between China and the United States with strategic far-sight and extraordinary political wisdom. Due to the unremitting efforts, diplomatic relations were finally established on 1 January 1979, normalizing China-US relations and opening a new chapter in the history of our relations.

Thirty years have passed in a flash. Over the years, despite some twists and turns, thanks to the personal commitment of generations of leaders in both countries and the joint efforts of people on both sides, the constructive cooperation between our two countries has yielded fruitful results,with a deep impact on both countries and positive implications on the whole world.

China and the United States, once locked in mutual antagonism and estrangement, are now stakeholders and constructive partners. The China- US relationship has grown more mature and stable. The understanding between our peoples has increased and mutual trust deepened.

The two- way trade volume has surged from less than US$2.5 billion in the early days of our diplomatic relations to more than US$300 billion in 2007, an increase of over 120 times. Cooperation between the two governments was virtually non-existent before the launch of diplomatic ties. Now we have over 30 governmental cooperation agreements and more than 60 dialogue mechanisms. The wide-ranging and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides has continued to expand and deepen in counter-terrorism, law enforcement, energy, environmental protection, science, technology, education, culture, health and other areas.

China and the United States have effective communication and coordination in addressing global challenges like the financial crisis and on major regional and international issues such as the Korean nuclear issue and the Iranian nuclear issue. Our relationship has become more strategic in substance and more global in significance.

Friendly exchanges between the Chinese and the American people have come a long way and cultural exchanges have increased. Given the figures in recent years, more than two million visits are made a year between our two countries and on average over 5,000 people travel across the Pacific Ocean a day between our coasts. In the wake of devastating natural disasters such as the earthquake and the hurricane, our two peoples have expressed sympathy and rendered support to each other with a helping hand.

What has happened eloquently proves that the China-US relationship has become one of the most dynamic, vibrant and important bilateral relationships in the world today. It has not only brought enormous benefits to the people of the two countries but has also strongly promoted world peace and development.

Shortly before the establishment of our diplomatic relations, the Chinese people bravely set out on a great historic journey of reform and opening up. Over the three decades, China has made tremendous progress across the board in the economic, political, social, cultural and other areas. Historic changes have taken place in what China and the Chinese look like. Once lacking food and clothing, the 1.3 billion Chinese are now generally living a comfortable life and are working towards the goal of building a moderately prosperous society at a higher level.

On the same day of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China delivered the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, which solemnly stated our overall policy to strive for peaceful reunification of the motherland. A couple of weeks ago, at the seminar commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, President Hu Jintao made a six-point proposal on promoting peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, which has opened broad horizons to benefit compatriots on both sides and secure peace in the Taiwan Straits.

Over the thirty years, with the broadening and deepening of China’s opening-up, historic changes have taken place in China’s relations with the rest of the world. China has closer connections and interactions with the world. China is firmly committed to the independent foreign policy of peace. China stands firm in its commitment to the path of peaceful development and to the opening up strategy that features mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Under these guiding principles, we have worked with all other countries to help develop a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity and made important contribution to the lofty cause of peace and development for mankind.

Over the thirty years, historic achievements have been made in China’s reform and opening up endeavour. And substantial progress has been made in China-US relations over the same period. This is more than a coincidence. It fully demonstrates that China is a staunch force for world peace, that China-U.S. relations are the most important relationship for both sides, that China and the United States are cooperation partners, rather than strategic rivals, and that the China-US relationship is win-win and mutually beneficial in nature, rather than a zero-sum game. In short, China-US cooperation is good for our two countries, good for the Asia-Pacific and good for the whole world.

The China-US relationship is at a crucial time of transition. Today’s world continues to undergo profound and complex changes and particularly the international financial crisis continues to spread fast. Under these new circumstances, both China and the United States need to view and handle the bilateral relationship from a broader global perspective and with a way of thinking that keeps abreast of the times.

We should always approach China-US relations from a strategic and overarching perspective and never waver in our commitment to a constructive and cooperative relationship.

We should keep the momentum of exchanges at the top and other levels, continue and improve various dialogue and cooperation mechanisms and further enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust.

We should actively promote mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly address global issues and challenges, expand common interests and make still greater contribution to world peace and development.

We should strictly follow the three Sino-US joint communiques, respect and accommodate each other’s core interests, uphold and advance the overall interests of China-US relations.

We should increase the friendly exchanges between our peoples and continue to enhance popular support for China-US friendship.

When President Nixon visited China in 1972, exactly here in this Great Hall of the People where we are this evening, he quoted a line from a poem written by Chairman Mao Zedong to describe the urgency of developing China-US relations at that time: “Ten thousand years are too long. Seize the day. Seize the hour.” When Mr. Deng Xiaoping met General Scowcroft in 1989, he said that Sino-US relations must be improved. In 1995 when meeting President Clinton, President Jiang Zemin expressed his hope that China-US relations would always stay on the right course. President Hu Jintao also stated on various occasions that in the new historical era, China and the United States should work together for the sound, stable and comprehensive growth of China-US relations. At this important moment when our relationship is about to start a new page in history, let us join hands, raise high the sail of friendship and cooperation, and steer the vessel carrying the friendship between our two peoples and ties between our two countries along the course of constructive cooperation to a better future.

Now, I wish to propose a toast,

To the great achievements of China-US relations over the past thirty years,

To an even more splendid future of China-US relations, and

To the health of all friends present,

Cheers!