Firmly promote the Sino-US cooperative partnership

Point Three: positive interaction between China and the US in the Asia-Pacific serves the interests of both and meets the expectation of all other countries in the region. So, what is most needed by people of these countries? What are the most important public goods that China and the US can provide for others? The answer is obvious. That is a peaceful and stable regional environment, a bright future of regional development and prosperity as well as a mutually-beneficial and cooperative partnership. We hope that such can remain as the basis for the regional policies of both countries and their interaction.

As the Chinese saying goes, "Broad-minded and all-embracive like seas means strength and future". The Asia-Pacific is big enough to hold both China and the US. Now both share lots of common interests and great opportunities for more cooperation, yet the key is whether they have enough political will. We should abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game sentiments, but dedicate ourselves to closer cooperation with more mutual understanding and tolerance. We must take care of each other's interest and seek a win-win outcome with mutual trust and respect, but not force others to choose sides.

It is pointed out in The China-US Joint Statement last January that "working together, both leaders support efforts to build a more stable, peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific region for the 21st century." Let us take our due responsibility and join hands in striving for that goal.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

40 years ago, China and the US shared little but their geopolitical needs; even then they could come together. Although The Shanghai Communiqué listed quite many differences between the two sides, by and large, it reflected their more important consensus. This is a creation in the history of international relations for seeking common grounds while reserving differences. The wisdom and foresights it unfolds is of great importance even today.

Many changes have taken place in the past 40 years. The relationship between China and the US has never been short of obstacles and the progress achieved has never come easily. While applauding for the rapid development of the China-US relationship, we should face squarely with the problems confronting that relationship. And we also have confidence in the future of the China-US relations.

Our confidence lies in the fact that a clear direction has been set for the development of the relationship, that is, the consensus reached between President Hu Jintao and President Obama of jointly building a cooperative China-US partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Our confidence lies in the rich practice and successful experience of the two countries in continuously overcoming difficulties and pushing forward relations since Dr. Kissinger's secret trip to China and the publication of the Shanghai Communiqué.

Our confidence lies on the basis of the friendship between the two peoples. Along with each other, they jointly resisted Fascism, "changed the world" by their hand-shakings, and developing many moving stories in their friendly exchanges. I still remember that, after the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008, 345 high-school students in New Hampshire collected their pocket money and donated 2008 US dollars to the disaster-struck people. The grand poem of China-US relations was composed of numerous verses like this one.

Vice President Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to the US at the invitation of Vice President Joe Biden soon. We expect that both sides can seize this visit's opportunity to further strengthen their communication, increase mutual trust, expand cooperation and deepen their friendship, so as to make the China-US cooperative partnership moving on continuously.

In retrospect of the past 40 years and looking forward to the future of China-US relations, we have much expectation yet feel great historical responsibilities as well. I believe that, so long as the two sides keep to the consensus of the two leaders, stay on to the course of their cooperative partnership, and maintain the spirits of the Three Joint Communiqués and the China-US Joint Statement, the road of China-US cooperative partnership will grow to be even more solid, wider and further.

Thank you very much for your attention.

The author is Vice Foreign Minister of China. This is a speech he made at the International Conference in Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqué hosted by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies in Shanghai on Feb 6.

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