A new Chinese embassy building was unveiled in Washington on July 29, 2008.
A new U.S. embassy in China will be inaugurated on Aug. 8 under watch of President George W. Bush, the same day of the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games.
"The completion of the two new embassies not only reflects the good shape of our relationship, but also signals broad prospects for its further growth," Yang added.
During their greetings to the newly-inaugurated embassy, U.S. government officials including Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Trade Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Labor Secretary Elaine Lan Chao and Deputy State Secretary John D. Negroponte all hailed the development of U.S.-China relations with a strong momentum and committed to expanding cooperation and exchange with China in various fields.
"The move from the previous building to this impressive new complex is emblematic of China's growing presence on the world stage," Chao said, adding that she was looking forward to attending the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games as a member of the presidential delegation.
With a total of 10,760 square meters, the new embassy is located within the International Center in the U.S. capital.
The new building's overall design is derived from a contemporary interpretation of traditional Chinese architectural planning principles.
The project, which has taken hundreds of Chinese construction workers more than three years, will become one of the largest foreign embassies in Washington, D.C. after it is completed.
"I believe this building is very important for China not only architecturally but also symbolically," said Bei, the architect.
