Following is the full text of the speech delivered by visiting
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at a dinner hosted by nine American
organizations in Washington on Tuesday:?
Ambassador Hills, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,????
It gives me a great pleasure to attend tonight's dinner. I wish
to thank the National Committee on US-China relations, the US-China
Business Council, the America-China Forum, the Asia Society, the
Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Committee of
100, the Council on Foreign Relations, the US Chamber of Commerce
and the US-China Policy Foundation for the gracious hospitality. It
is delightful to be among friends, both old and new.
In three weeks' time, we shall be celebrating the 25th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between
China and the United States. I was in Hangzhou not long ago,
staying in Liuzhuang State Guesthouse where China and the United
States negotiated the Shanghai Communique. I took a stroll down the
West Lake and passed by the Octagonal Pavilion. Gazing at the
shimmering ripples of the lake, all sorts of emotions surged within
me.
For the last century, China-US relations experienced ups and
downs. Our two countries fought together against Fascism at one
time, and stood deadly opposed to each other at another. In 1972,
the leaders of the two countries, with their outstanding vision and
remarkable courage, opened the door of China-US relations that had
remained closed for many years. I have boundless respect and
admiration for what they have done.
In the past twenty-five years since we established diplomatic
ties, our bilateral relations have weathered storms and moved
forward. Devoted as you are to Sino-US friendship, you have
contributed a great deal to its promotion. Let me take this
opportunity, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, to
express our appreciation to all who have contributed to the
friendly relations between our two nations.
Where is China-US relations heading? Perhaps this is a subject
of greatest interest to you. In fact, when President Jiang Zemin
visited your country last year, and President Hu Jintao twice met
President Bush this year, they both stated clearly that the Chinese
side wishes to improve and develop relations with the United
States.
A review of the history of China-US relations over the past half
century or more since the founding of the People's Republic leads
us to three important conclusions.
Conclusion one: China and the United States both gain from
peaceful coexistence, and lose from conflicts.
Both China and the United States paid a heavy price for their
mutual hostility lasting twenty-three years from 1949 to 1971. In
contrast, in the thirty-two years since China and the United States
renewed contact in 1972, both sides have benefited tremendously
from our cooperation despite twists and turns. At the time the
Shanghai Communique was issued in 1972, trade between China and the
United States was virtually zero. As a token of friendship toward
China, the US government gave special permission to each traveling
American citizen to bring back home US$100 worth of goods made in
China. Now, our two-way trade has exceeded US$100 billion.
Conclusion two: Mutual interest serves as the bedrock of our
cooperation.
This is, first of all, seen in the win-win and mutually
beneficial economic cooperation and trade between our two
countries. American companies bring to China their capital,
advanced technology and managerial expertise. In return, China's
abundant human resources and huge market provide for American
companies enormous business opportunities. Furthermore, Chinese
enterprises supply US consumers with large quantities of
inexpensive and quality consumer goods.
Today, the United States has become China's second largest
trading partner and the biggest investor in China, whereas for the
United States, China is the third largest trading partner and the
fastest growing export market. Such a significant change is
attributable, to a great extent, to China's reform and
opening-up.
The reform and opening-up that started in 1978 have brought
about fundamental changes to China. We have by and large
established a socialist market economy, the GDP has registered an
average annual growth rate of 9.4 percent within the past
twenty-five years, and the Chinese people are living a relatively
well-off life on the whole. China's WTO accession is the landmark
of the beginning of all-round opening-up. More than 400 of the
world's top 500 multinationals have opened businesses in China.
Accelerated economic growth in China will provide new
opportunities and give further impetus to the growth of China-US
relations. For instance, the surge of private car sales in China
and the growth of the aviation industry prompted by expanding
tourism have already brought considerable benefits to American
companies. China's import of American agricultural produce such as
soybean, wheat and cotton in large quantities provides a huge
market for American farmers. I believe that in the coming 20 years
and beyond, it is entirely possible for China to maintain steady
and rapid economic growth. Its GDP will quadruple the 2000 volume,
exceeding US$4 trillion by 2020. Just imagine the vast vistas for
American investors and companies.
To be sure, there are many other areas of mutual interest that
constitute the foundation of cooperation between China and the
United States.
In short, opening-up is so much better than closing-up. A nation
or a country can advance and develop only when it opens up to the
outside world. This is the truth that the Chinese people have
learned from past experience. However, opening-up is a two-way
street. China will open its door even wider to the United States,
and, hopefully, the United States will do the same by opening more
sectors to China, including its hi-tech industries.
Conclusion three: China-US cooperation is conducive to stability
in the Asia-Pacific region as well as peace and development in the
world.
China-US cooperation has played, and will continue to play a
positive role in safeguarding stability in the Asia-Pacific region
and the world at large. This is a role that cannot be replaced.
Terrorism is a common menace to the whole human kind. China and the
United States have established a mechanism of mid- and long-term
anti-terrorism exchange and cooperation based on the principle of
"equality, cooperation, reciprocity and mutual benefit." Recently,
working together with other parties concerned, China and the United
States have conducted fruitful cooperation over a peaceful
settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
Modern world history tells us that it is the economy and
national interests rather than ideologies that underpin the
cooperation between big countries. Cooperation between China and
the United States, two major countries in the world, shows that
countries with different social systems and cultural traditions can
coexist in peace and enjoy common development provided that they
set store by their peoples' fundamental interests, and respect and
tolerate each other. This will be an example of global significance
showing the world how big countries can transcend ideological
differences and develop cooperation on the basis of the Five
Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. It is possible due to the
prevailing trend of the times and the important and profound
changes in the international situation.
First, thanks to the advancement of the new global revolution of
science and technology as well as economic globalization, there are
more interchanges and greater interdependence among various
economies. Mutual complementarity grows, which makes their
cooperation more mutually beneficial. According to the principle of
economic comparative advantages, distribution of industries, the
flow of investment and capital and human resources' mobility know
no boundary. No country can develop solely on its own in isolation
of the world economy.
Second, along with accelerated industrialization and
urbanization, environmental pollution, resources depletion,
polarization between the rich and the poor, and spread of diseases
and narcotics, etc., have become increasingly serious, posing a
grave threat to human survival and sustainable development. The
solution of these global problems depends on closer international
consultation and cooperation, in addition to the efforts of the
countries concerned.
Third, at the turn of the century, the international political
situation has undergone the most profound change since the end of
the Cold War. Ethnic, religious, territorial and resources disputes
and regional conflicts keep cropping up. Non-traditional security
issues such as terrorism are more prominent. The Sept. 11incident
not only was a serious shock to the United States, but also exerted
profound impact on the world. Security interests of countries are
increasingly inter-connected. Hardly can any country achieve its
security objective on its own. Only by strengthening international
cooperation, seeking security through mutual respect and mutual
trust and promoting cooperation through equality and mutual benefit
can we fundamentally decrease insecure factors.
Fourth, rapid growth of globalized economy and information
technology has a great and profound impact on the world cultural
development. To increase exchanges and understanding between
different cultures so as to promote peace and to avoid conflicts
caused by cultural estrangement and discrimination -- this will, to
a large extent, have a bearing on the fate of mankind in the 21st
century. In particular, wider access to TV and the Internet allows
spiritual and cultural products, healthy or harmful, positive or
negative, to spread in the world at an unprecedented pace, directly
or indirectly affecting people's mind, values and way of life. It
requires, more than ever before, close inter-governmental and
non-governmental cooperation to promote the fine culture of every
nation and defuse moral crises in the world.
The above-mentioned important changes in the international
economic, political and cultural arenas are bound to lead to
adjustment in state-to-state relations, particularly relations
between major countries. China is the largest developing country
while the United States the largest developed country. To
strengthen China-US cooperation is not only a mutual need but also
a responsibility, which our two countries shoulder in the interest
of world peace and development. With this understanding of our
overall interests and with strategic courage, let us push forward
China-US cooperation.
Due to various reasons, there exist estrangements,
misunderstandings, and even frictions of one sort or another
between China and the United States. In case of differences and
contradictions, both sides should keep cool and be sensible. We
should try to increase communications, reduce mistrust and seek
common ground while shelving differences with a view to properly
handling our differences and contradictions. For issues we cannot
settle for the time being, let us put them aside and consider them
later. The least we want to see is the break of the bond of
friendship and cooperation between China and the United States. We
are friends, not adversaries.
In order to develop China-US constructive and cooperative
relations, the Chinese side proposes that:
First, continue high-level visits and strategic dialogue between
our two countries;
Second, facilitate mutually beneficial trade and economic
cooperation and establish a sound mechanism to address bilateral
issues;
Third, intensify coordination on major international and
regional issues; and, Fourth expand people-to-people exchanges. The
Chinese nation has always cherished peace and harmony. The rise of
China is peaceful. It relies on itself for its progress. In foreign
relations, we are always in favor of friendship, partnership and
cooperation with our neighboring and all other countries.
China is a developing country and will remain so for many years
to come. China has a population of 1.3 billion, which is the
primary factor of our national conditions. China's GDP ranks the
sixth in the world, however, its per capita GNP ranks 111th. China
is still faced with such problems as unemployment, poverty and
uneven development, which we cannot afford to ignore. These
problems are enough to keep us busy.
It calls for arduous endeavors of generations for China to catch
up with developed countries. China will never seek hegemony and
expansion even when it becomes fully developed and stronger.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To ensure the healthy and smooth development of China-US
relations, we must handle properly the sensitive core issue in our
bilateral relations, i.e., the question of Taiwan.
Safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity is
the paramount national interest and an unshakable principle for any
country.
Our fundamental policy on the settlement of the Taiwan question
is "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems." We have
all along been doing our utmost to achieve the ultimate
reunification in a peaceful manner.
Recent years have witnessed more frequent people-to-people
exchanges and closer economic and trade links between the two sides
of the Taiwan Straits. According to statistics, last year,
cross-Straits trade reached US$44.6 billion, accumulative Taiwanese
investment in the mainland amounted to US$35.7 billion. Over three
million people traveled back and forth across the Straits each
year. In Shanghai alone, 300,000 Taiwan compatriots have settled
down, engaging in business or other professions. Before the
traditional Chinese New Year, we have to use chartered planes to
take them to Hong Kong for transfer back to Taiwan for family
reunion. People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits aspire for a
peaceful reunification of their motherland as early as
possible.
We sincerely hope to see a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan
question. So long as there is the slightest hope, we will not give
up our endeavor for peace. However, our endeavor for peace has time
and again been challenged by the separatist forces in Taiwan. We
respect the legitimate democratic rights exercised by our Taiwan
compatriots, but will absolutely not tolerate the "Taiwan
independence" forces' attempt to separate Taiwan from China under
the signboard of democracy.
In this regard, American history offers us valuable experiences
and lessons. When America was defending the principle that "the
Union is perpetual," it was willing to pay a heavy price. It is my
belief that the American people would not find it hard to
understand our position of resolutely safeguarding the one-China
principle and working to achieve national unity.
As you all know, the three China-US Joint Communiques constitute
the basis for China-US relations. The essence of those communiques
is the one-China principle. The separatist activities aimed at
"Taiwan independence" carried out by the Taiwan authorities are
seriously undermining the political basis of China-US cooperation
and our common interests, and putting peace and stability in the
Asia-Pacific region in jeopardy. We hope that the US government
will handle the Taiwan question appropriately and support China's
peaceful reunification.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Time flies. Twenty-five years is only a short span in the long
river of human history. Twenty-five years ago, we could hardly
imagine the magnitude and depth of China-US cooperation as we see
it today. Now, Chinese people have come to know America better.
About 120 million young Chinese are learning English. My little
grandson likes Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. I am
told that American kids enjoy the cartoon Mulan. Young people are
the future of a country and the world. I have no doubt that the
coming 25 years will add more radiance to the blossom of China-US
friendship, which will be passed on from generation to
generation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
President Thomas Jefferson once said, "I like the dreams of the
future better than the history of the past." Let our two countries
and two peoples join hands and work closely together to build a
better future for China-US relations.
Thank you.
(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2003)