Dr. Kissinger,
National Security Advisor Mr. Stephen Hadley,
Mr. Joseph Gildenhorn,
Mr. David Metzner,
Ambassador Stapleton Roy,
Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong,
President Yang Wenchang,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It's nice to be back in Washington and to join you at this luncheon marking the inauguration of the "Kissinger Institute on China and the United States" at the invitation of the Wilson Center. Let me first of all extend warm congratulations on the inauguration of the Kissinger Institute. I want to thank the Wilson Center and all of you present for your contribution to China-US relations. Over the past several decades, Dr. Kissinger, as a strategist, has devoted his energy and wisdom to advancing China-US relations. It is most fitting that the Institute on China and the United States is named after Dr. Kissinger and headed by Ambassador Roy.
Academic exchanges provide a strong impetus to China-US relations. I am glad to know that the Institute will establish an advisory board of about 20 Chinese and US dignitaries, to be co-chaired by Dr. Kissinger and Mr. Xu Kuangdi, President of the China-US People's Friendship Association and President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In addition, the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) and the Kissinger Institute will also conduct academic exchanges and cooperation with each other. Today, I am happy to see Ambassador Yang Wenchang, President of the CPIFA, leading a delegation to the United States for the inauguration ceremony. I hope, and I believe, that the Kissinger Institute will actively engage in exchanges with Chinese scholars for broad and in-depth academic studies, and contribute its share to the constructive and cooperative China-US relations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year marks the 30th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up program. It is a good time for us to review and sum up experience. Over the past 30 years, especially since the beginning of the new century, reform and opening-up on all fronts have brought about historic changes in China. We have completed the transition from a planned economy to a vibrant socialist market economy, and from a closed or semi-closed society to one that is fully open to the outside world. The Chinese economy has enjoyed fast growth, with the country's GDP now ranking the fourth in the world. The livelihood of the people has been improving, as evidenced by the nearly six-fold increase in per capita income and the reduction of the poor population by over 200 million. Major progress has been made in advancing democracy and the rule of law. Altogether, the National People's Congress has enacted 229 pieces of legislation and the State Council has formulated nearly 700 rules and regulations. The Chinese people now have more choices in their cultural life and way of living. Instead of just seeking enough food and clothing for survival, they now aspire for a more fulfilling and prosperous life.
Over the past 30 years, historic changes have taken place in the relations between China and the world. China is now more closely linked with the rest of the world. In 1978, China accounted for less than 1% of global trade, while in 2007, the figure jumped to about 8%, with an average annual import growth of 16.7%. China has grown into the third largest import market in the world and the largest in Asia. It has created about 10 million jobs in relevant countries and regions since 2001, and is contributing more than 10% to the world economic growth and over 12% to the world trade growth. All this has made the Chinese economy a major part of the world economy.
China has become an important player in the international system. It has joined more than 100 inter-governmental organizations and acceded to over 300 international conventions. It has taken an active part in international and regional affairs and earnestly fulfilled its international obligations. In recent years, it has played an important role on such issues as counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue and so on. China is the largest contributor of peacekeeping personnel among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It has participated in 22 UN peacekeeping operations and dispatched a total of more than 10,000 peacekeeping personnel, including 2,000 who are currently on peacekeeping missions.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year 2008 is a challenging one for China. We were first hit by the snow storm in southern China and then the devastating earthquake in Sichuan. In the face of the natural disasters, the entire Chinese nation rallied together with one heart and one mind, and achieved great success in the relief efforts. Here, I would like to pay high tribute to the United States and many other countries for their generous support. We have also stepped up macro-economic control to address the problems in the economy and maintained stable and fairly fast growth. In the first half of this year, China's GDP was up by 10.4% over the corresponding period of last year. The Chinese Government is now focusing on the following three major tasks: first, to press ahead with disaster relief and reconstruction; second, to ensure sound and fast economic and social development; and third, to deliver a high-standard Olympic Games with distinctive features. We are confident that with the support of the international community, we will achieve the above goals.
Looking ahead to the future, we will continue to advance reform and opening up, follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and pursue the strategy of peaceful development. The future looks very encouraging.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations around the end of this year and the beginning of the next. China-US relationship has come a long way and achieved remarkable progress over the past 30 years. The growth of China-US relations has not only brought huge benefits to the two countries and the two peoples, but also profoundly contributed to world peace and development. Since the beginning of the new century, China and the United States have expanded common interests and strategic consensus, intensified dialogue, exchanges and mutually-beneficial cooperation, and brought our bilateral relations to a new stage of development. The following are some of the salient features of today's China-US relations:
-High-level contacts and exchanges between China and the United States are getting ever more frequent. Through their successful mutual visits, President Hu Jintao and President Bush reached the important agreement that China and the United States are not only stakeholders but also constructive partners, which represents the way forward in developing the constructive and cooperative China-US relations. Over the past seven years and more, the two presidents have met 18 times and maintained regular contact through telephone calls and correspondence to exchange views and coordinate positions on major issues of shared interest. The unprecedented high-level exchanges between the two sides have given a strong boost to the strategic mutual trust and the overall improvement and growth of the China-US relations.
-Economic interests of China and the United States are becoming ever more interconnected. We are now each other's second largest trading partner. China is the third largest export market for the US and has been the fastest growing export market for the US in the last six years. By the end of last May, the United States had invested over US$58.1 billion in more than 55,000 projects in China, covering a wide range of sectors, including, among others, agriculture, manufacturing and financial services. The two sides have also intensified dialogue and expanded cooperation in such fields as energy and resources, environmental protection and macro-economic policies. Not long ago, China and the United States signed the Ten Year Energy and Environment Cooperation Framework, launched negotiations on a bilateral investment protection agreement and agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the financial services sector.
-Coordination and cooperation between China and the United States in international affairs have been expanding. It has become a common practice in recent years for China and the United States to work together in responding to various traditional and non-traditional security threats. We have had productive communication and coordination on many issues, including counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, the Korean nuclear issue, the Iranian nuclear issue and so on. Our coordination and cooperation in international affairs have served as a new catalyst for the development of bilateral relations. They are also of great significance to promoting regional and international peace and stability.
-Channels for dialogue and communication between China and the United States have been broadening. The two countries have established more than 60 dialogue and consultation mechanisms in six major categories, covering political relations, economy, military-to-military relations, law enforcement, science and technology, education, energy, environmental protection, aviation and so on and so forth. The two sides have launched the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) and the Strategic Dialogue (SD), two creative moves in the development of our relations. During the 4th SED, the two sides exchanged views on the long-term and overarching issues concerning the two economies, and reached broad agreement, including achievements on nearly 200 specific items. We have had five successful rounds of the Strategic Dialogue, which has provided a new and important platform for China-US strategic exchanges at the political level.
-Friendship between the peoples of the two countries has been deepening. I want to highlight here that the support the two countries gave to each other during times of natural disasters has greatly strengthened the friendship between the two peoples. In 2005, the Chinese Government promptly offered assistance to the United States when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. And in May this year, the US Government and people from all walks of life provided China with strong support and assistance after the devastating earthquake in Sichuan. Last month, 800 letters written by children in Washington State flew across the Pacific Ocean and arrived in the quake-hit areas in China. In these letters were heart-warming words of comfort, carefully selected pictures, and best wishes written in Chinese by these kids to their young friends in China. I wish to take this opportunity to once again express our heartfelt thanks to the US Government and people.
As many American friends have said, no one would have imagined 30 years or even eight years ago that China-US relations would make so much progress as we are seeing today. Such progress would not have been possible without the concerted efforts of the two governments and the unremitting work of people from various sectors of the two countries, including all of you present today. As witness to the whole long course of the growth of China-US relations, I am heartened to see the progress we have made.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since the beginning of the new century, the world has undergone extensive and profound changes. With deepening economic globalization and increasing interdependence among nations, the world is becoming a "global village" and the international community is facing rare opportunities for development. On the other hand, uncertainties and destabilizing factors in the international situation have also increased, and traditional and non-traditional security threats are intertwined. In particular, the issues of financial security, energy security and food security have become more pronounced recently. Mankind is still confronted with many daunting challenges in the efforts to uphold world peace and promote common development.
Against the backdrop of a complex and volatile international situation, China and the United States, as the largest developing country and the largest developed country respectively, face more common challenges and shoulder greater common responsibilities. The foundation and prospect for our cooperation are expanding and our relations are assuming greater global and strategic significance. Our two countries should work hard to deepen cooperation and build an enduring and stable framework for China-US relations in the new century.
First, continue to view and handle China-US relations from a long-term and strategic perspective and maintain their right direction. We should implement the important agreement reached by the two presidents on advancing the constructive and cooperative China-US relations, and adopt a forward-looking and constructive approach to increase converging interests and contain the negative factors so as to keep our relations on the track of constructive cooperation.
Developing relations with China has been the consensus view of successive US administrations, both Republican and Democratic, in the past 30 years. It is a policy that has also gained broad support from the American people of all walks of life. We sincerely hope the Government and people of various sectors in the United States will bear in mind the larger and long-term interests and work for the steady growth of China-US relations both in the election year and beyond. Whatever change may occur on the domestic political landscape in the United States, we on our part will remain committed to the fundamental principle of developing constructive and cooperative relations with the US. We will, as always, value China-US relations and spare no effort to ensure the sustainable development of this important bilateral relationship.
Second, judge each other in an objective and sensible way and further enhance strategic mutual trust. The Chinese are a peace-loving nation. We have, since ancient times, believed in the precepts of "Be kind to your neighbors" and "Harmony of all countries". During the prime of the Ming Dynasty more than 600 years ago, Zheng He, the famous Chinese navigator, led a fleet of more than 20,000 people on seven expeditions to the Western seas and reached more than 30 countries. What he brought to the local people were tea and porcelain, not war or domination. Today, in keeping with the trend of the times and our own fundamental interests, the Chinese Government and people have made the strategic decision to follow a path of peaceful development. We will seek development through continued institutional reform and improvement, hard work, long-term friendship and win-win cooperation on an equal footing with all other countries in the world, including the United States.
The Chinese Government is sincere in developing the constructive and cooperative relations with the United States. This is a strategic decision we have made on the basis of our own national interests and the interests of the people of the world. What China and the United States should do is to maintain close contact between leaders of the two countries and officials at all levels to ensure timely and effective exchange of views on issues of shared interest. We should continue to enrich and improve the dialogue mechanisms in various fields, particularly the Strategic Economic Dialogue and the Strategic Dialogue so that they will become long-term mechanisms that support stronger China-US constructive and cooperative relations.
Third, expand exchanges and cooperation and work together to promote common interests. We should further enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation in business, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, mil-to-mil relations, science and technology, education, culture and health, and step up consultation and coordination on regional hotspot issues and on issues related to the United Nations. In short, we should make bilateral cooperation stronger, broader and better.
China and the Unites States should make greater efforts and explore new areas of cooperation in light of the changing situation. For example, the growing interdependence of the two economies and their impact on the global economy call for enhanced dialogue on macro-economic policies between us. Energy, food security and the environment, being growing challenges for mankind, are also issues of strategic significance that China and the United States need to tackle together. Our two countries should, in accordance with the Ten Year Energy and Environment Cooperation Framework, carry out more practical cooperation in this area.
Fourth, properly handle differences and sensitive issues in a constructive manner and prevent them from hampering the overall interests of bilateral relations. As China and the United States differ in cultural background, social system and level of development, it is only natural that we do not see eye to eye on everything. The two countries should respect and accommodate each other's core and major interests and handle issues in bilateral relations through consultations on an equal footing and in accordance with the principle of seeking common ground while putting aside differences. The question of Taiwan has always been the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations. Recently, cross-Strait relations have shown good momentum of growth. The Chinese Government will build on this momentum and continue to work for new progress in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations under the principle of "building mutual trust, laying aside disputes, seeking consensus while shelving differences and jointly creating a win-win situation". I want to stress, however, that no matter how the cross-Strait relations may change, the one China principle and the principles enshrined in the three China-US joint communiqués can never be changed. China hopes that the United States will honor its commitment by handling the Taiwan question cautiously and properly, and support the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations with concrete moves.
Democracy and freedom are the common pursuit of mankind. The Chinese Government is committed to the principle of putting people first and running the government for the people. The tremendous progress China has made in the field of human rights since reform and opening-up has been recognized by all. Let me give you some figures. China has joined 22 international human rights conventions. There are over 100 million religious believers and over 100,000 religious sites in China. In Tibet, there is on average one temple for every 1,600 people. China and the Untied States may have some different views on human rights or religion. The right approach to address these differences is through dialogue, not confrontation. We are ready to have dialogue with the United States on human rights, religion and other issues on the basis of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
Fifth, actively promote people-to-people exchanges and build stronger popular support for China-US friendship. People's need is the ultimate driving force behind state-to-state relations. The past few years have seen more and more individuals and organizations from both China and the United States getting directly involved in the development of our bilateral relations. This has offered a good opportunity to boost exchanges between people of various sectors of our two countries. We should think creatively and promote exchanges of various forms at the local level and in the business, media, academic, cultural and educational sectors, with a view to enhancing mutual understanding between the Chinese and Americans and making more people firm supporters of China-US relations. As the young generation represents the future, we should place great importance on the exchanges between the young people so that they will carry forward the cause of developing sound and stable China-US relations in the new century.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Beijing Olympic Games will open in ten days' time. To host the Olympic Games is a century-old dream of the Chinese people. We are confident that with our all-out effort and with the warm support from all over the world, this Olympic Games will be a great success. Here I also wish the American athletes every good luck in Beijing because they deserve it.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is an old Chinese saying which goes, "The waves behind always drive on those before in the Yangtze River." I am confident that the opening of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States will inspire more people to join the worthy cause of advancing China-US relations. It will also strengthen the voice of those calling for stronger relations with China in the United States. In conclusion, I wish the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States every success and China-US relations an even brighter future in the 21st century.
Thank you.
