Honorable Dr. Kissinger,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Today, it is a great pleasure for the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) to cohost the Meeting in Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqué, together with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and the China-US People’s Friendship Association. On behalf of the CPIFA, I wish to extend our warmest welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the distinguished Chinese and American guests for their gracious attendance.  

Fifty years ago, it was exactly at this auditorium of the Jinjiang Hotel, the Chinese and US governments issued the first China-US Joint Communiqué, also known as the Shanghai Communiqué, which started the process of normalization of China-US relations, leaving significant far-reaching impacts on the international landscape. In 1993, President Nixon revisited this building and said that this is where China-US relations kicked off. At this moment, we are gathering at this place of great historical significance, to commemorate the issuance of the Shanghai Communiqué, a milestone in the history of China-US relations, for the purpose of reviewing the history, learning from the past and opening up a brighter future. Let historical experience enrich our wisdom and help set the direction forward so that we, by implementing the consensus of our two heads of state, will ensure the China-US relationship always move ahead on the right track and embrace an even more promising future. 

The past 50 years have witnessed great progress in the development of China-US relations, which heightens our admiration of Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai, President Nixon, Dr. Kissinger and other older generation of leaders of our two countries for their extraordinary strategic vision, marvelous political wisdom and superb diplomatic art. Despite twists and turns of the past 50 years, China-US relations have constantly forged ahead, thanks to the dedication of leaders in different stages and the strong support of hundreds and millions of people in our two countries. The achievement of China-US relations doesn’t come easy and certainly conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, which, under current circumstances, should be cherished more than ever.

The three China-US Joint Communiqués, with the Shanghai Communiqué included, have established the guiding principles for the development of China-US relations and constituted an important political foundation for bilateral relations. Such principles should not be forgotten now, neither should they ever be forgotten in future time. Such foundation should not be shaken now, neither should it be shaken even a little bit in the time ahead. The overall interests of bilateral relations need to be safeguarded by the two governments, and also require the unremitting efforts of the people of two countries.

The CPIFA, as an organization dedicated to people-to-people diplomacy and established in the same year as the founding of the People’s Republic of China, have always been devoted to strengthening the friendly exchanges and cooperation between our two countries and actively promoting the development of bilateral relations, since hosting the first US Congressional delegation to China in 1972. Looking into the future, the CPIFA will continue to play its unique role of enhancing the mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples and make new contributions to that end.

In conclusion, I wish the commemorative meeting a great success.

Thank you.