Photo Exhibition Celebrating 30th Anniversary of China-US Diplomatic Relations O

On January 21, 2009, Looking back After 30 Years―Photo Exhibition on the 30th Anniversary of China-US Diplomatic Relations was launched at the Richard Nixon Library (RNL) in Yorba Linda, California of the U.S.. Xu Kuangdi, president of the China-US People’s Friendship Association (CUSPFA); Li Xiaolin, vice president of the CPAFFC; Liu Mingyuan, minister of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S.; Zhang Yun, consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles; John H. Taylor, executive director of the RNL, Glen Beneda, Flying Tigers veteran; and media representatives of the two countries, totaling about 100, attended the opening ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, the guests first watched the video congratulatory messages made by Chinese President Hu Jintao and the former US President George W. Bush who has just finished his term of office. And then, honoured guests from both countries spoke one after another. In his speech, President Xu Kuangdi said the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. opened a new era for bilateral relations. Thanks to the concerted efforts made by several generations of Chinese leaders, seven US presidents and the people of the two countries, the Sino-US relations have scored considerable achievements over the past three decades and become one of the most dynamic and important bilateral relations in the world today. The establishment of diplomatic relations not only accords with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also greatly contributes to peace, stability and development in Asia as well as the world. At present, China and the U.S. are at a crucial phase of carrying their relationship into the future. It is the common aspiration and in the fundamental interests of the two peoples that China and the U.S. maintain sound and stable bilateral relations in the coming years or even a longer period of time.

In her speech, Vice President Li Xiaolin talked in detail about the preparation and the tour plan of the photo exhibition.

Executive Director of the RNL John Taylor recalled in his speech the extraordinary course China and the U.S. had traversed in their relations since President Richard Nixon opened the door for exchanges between the two countries in 1972. He said, on the 30th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations, it is a great honour for the RNL to unveil this photo exhibition on the west coast of the U.S. together with the CPAFFC. The exhibition, rich in content, presents major events in the history of Sino-US exchanges over the past 200 years and highlights the friendship between the people of the two countries which is the most precious wealth of our two countries and the most solid foundation for the future development of the US-China relations.

Friendship, the theme of the photo exhibition, was perfectly illustrated at the opening ceremony. Accompanied by his family, the 84-year-old US Flying Tigers veteran Glen Beneda arrived at the event in his wheelchair. With deep emotion, he told the guests the moving story of how villagers of Jianli County in China’s Hubei Province risked their lives to rescue him when his fighter plane was shot down by the Japanese army and escorted him to the garrison of the 5th Division of the New Fourth Army commanded by General Li Xiannian, so that he could finally return to the U.S. army barracks safe and sound. As a token of his sincere gratitude to his benefactor, he specially presented CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin (daughter of Gen. Li Xian- nian) the Blood Chit (a notice in Chinese carried by the Flying Tigers pilots displaying message aimed at the Chinese civilians to help the service member in case of shotdown) he had kept all these years even in the days when he braved untold dangers. Beneda’s experience of the Sino-US people’s friendship brought the opening ceremony to a climax.

The photo exhibition is scheduled to tour Washington D.C., New York, Houston, Atlanta, and other cities in 2009.