China News Agency, Washington, March 1, title: Chinese and American witnesses recall Nixon's visit to China: the spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences continues to guide the future
China News Agency reporter Chen Mengtong
"Contact between China and the United States started with sharp questions," said former US Assistant Secretary of Defense François Freeman on February 28, when he recalled Nixon's visit to China 50 years ago, "if we can put aside our own repeated emphasis differences, and continue to pursue common interests, then a bright future will emerge. In Chinese, this is called seeking common ground while reserving differences.”
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Nixon's visit to China, the Washington-based think tank US-China Policy Foundation held an online event on the 28th, inviting Chinese and American translators Tang Wensheng and Fu Limin, who had experienced this history, to recall the past and discuss the inspiration of history for the development of bilateral relations. .
On February 21, 1972, then-US President Richard Nixon embarked on an "ice-breaking journey" that attracted worldwide attention.
During his visit to China, China and the United States issued the "Shanghai Communiqué", pushing China-US relations to take an important step towards normalization.
As the chief translator of the U.S. delegation during Nixon's visit to China, Freeman recalled that the process of drafting the "Shanghai Communiqué" between the U.S. and China reflected the spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences, and the final official text of the "Shanghai Communiqué" also fully reflected the negotiations between the U.S. and China. structure and content.
Freeman revealed that the drafting and negotiation of the "Shanghai Communiqué" almost ran through the entire process of Nixon's visit to China.
"The Taiwan issue was a crucial part of the communique, and it wasn't resolved until we returned to Shanghai from Hangzhou." "I read the Chinese version of the communique with great interest and was very pleasantly surprised to find that the Chinese translator's The work is very professional and has a good grasp of the nuances of English."
Fu Limin pointed out that the "Shanghai Communiqué" is a masterpiece from the perspective of linguistics, and from the perspective of diplomacy, the style of "clarifying differences first and then expressing consensus" is also innovative and historic.
"Frankly, if we look at today's situation, there's a lot to learn from it."
"First show differences, don't hide them. Then, put cooperation before differences and cooperate in areas where there is consensus. This will promote the development of diplomacy, and it will take time to resolve differences." Freeman said, "Unfortunately, at present we seem to put Confrontation over cooperation. It was a mistake and we can learn from it.”
Tang Wensheng, former vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, delivered a video speech at the event that day.
When Nixon visited China, she served as a translator for Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai.
She also mentioned the design of the "Shanghai Communiqué" in which the two countries first stated their differences and then expressed their consensus.
"When we discuss differences, neither side will compromise on issues of principle. Although we cannot bridge the differences between the two sides, we can try to build bridges to communicate over it." Tang Wensheng said, hoping that Chinese and American politicians will The strategic thinking, political foresight and diplomatic art displayed in the exchanges can help us better cope with the difficulties and challenges facing the bilateral relations, and lead the bilateral relations to a better future together.
David Lampton, a senior researcher at the Institute of Foreign Policy at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), commented at the event that the "Shanghai Communiqué" not only illustrates the relationship between the United States and China It's worth noting where there are differences, while also articulating the mutual interests that both sides have enough to set aside those differences.
This engagement between the United States and China also lays the foundation for peace in the next half century and for the broad and rapid development of bilateral relations.
"Nixon's visit to China shocked the world and changed the course of the Cold War." Rui Xiaojian, the former U.S. ambassador to China, said in a video speech at the event that behind Nixon's visit to China was thinking beyond the conventional, discovering opportunities and accurately interpreting, Mobilize expert support and take bold action.
This also opens up new and better opportunities for the development of US-China relations.
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