崔天凯大使在美中贸委会45周年庆典晚宴上的讲话

Remarks by Ambassador Cui Tiankai at the 2018 Gala Dinner of the US-China Business Council

 

2018年12月5日

December 5th, 2018

 

祝贺美中贸委会成立45周年。你们的辛勤工作和卓著成就体现了美中贸委会和美国工商界致力于发展中美关系的愿景和决心。请允许我向美中贸委会所有成员以及历届董事会和主席致敬。我也想借此机会祝贺希尔斯大使，您为中美关系做出了杰出贡献，获得2018年度嘉奖之无愧。

Let me first of all congratulate the USCBC for your 45th anniversary. The hard work and solid achievements you have made over the years are the manifestation of the commitment, determination and vision of the USCBC and the business community to China-US relations. Let me salute all the members of the USCBC and its successive boards and the chairs. Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Carla Hills, because you’re to be honored tonight for your distinguished contribution to the relationship. This is very well deserved. Thank you for your leadership and contribution for so many years.

 

每逢重大纪念日，我们都会想到中美关系的先驱者。今天上午我在国家大教堂参加老布什前总统的葬礼，共同缅怀他精彩的一生与成就。老布什前总统因为参与构建现代中美关系而在中国享负盛名。最近，中国互联网流传一张老照片，是老布什前总统先生与夫人芭芭拉在天安门前骑自行车。这张照片拍摄于1974年，正是美中贸委会成立的后一年。老布什前总统对中国人来说之所以地位特殊，不仅因为他与中国渊源深厚，更重要的是他任总统期间曾与中国领导人一道共同引领中美关系成功走过艰难时期。他始终从两国长远利益出发，致力于促进两国人民之间的建设性接触和友谊。

On such moments when we have anniversaries, we will always think of our pioneers. And this morning, I was at the National Cathedral for the service to celebrate the life and achievements of President George H. W. Bush. President Bush was one of the architects for modern-day China-US relations. And he is so well-known among the Chinese people. These days, an old picture became very popular on China’s internet, a picture of President Bush and Barbara riding bicycles in front of Tiananmen. That picture was taken in 1974, one year after the founding of the USCBC. President Bush is so special to the Chinese people, not only because his ties with China started so early, but also because as US president he presided over some of the most difficult periods in our relations and remained committed to constructive engagement and friendship between our two peoples in the long-term interests of our two countries.

 

正是由于老布什前总统和在座诸位等有识之士的长期努力，中美关系在过去几十年取得长足发展，给两国人民带来了实实在在的利益。可以说，诸位的努力照亮了中美关系一路前行。

Thanks to the long-standing efforts of President Bush and so many others, including people here tonight, China-US relations have made tremendous progress over the decades, bringing about real benefits to our two peoples. The path forward for China-US relations has been illuminated by so many points of light.

 

然而，过去一年间，两国许多人都在为中美关系近况感到担忧。有人企图让中美脱钩，企图开启所谓的“新冷战”，企图以所谓的“百年马拉松”之名进行战略对抗。他们对我们多年来为之艰苦努力、来之不易的成就提出质疑，挑战我们的合作成果，给中美关系的未来带来巨大风险。包括美中贸委会以及工商界在内的诸多人士、机构都对此感到担忧和关切。

However, over the last year or so, many people in both countries have been worried by some recent developments. There are attempts to disengage our two countries. There are attempts to launch a so-called “new Cold War”. And there are attempts to start strategic rivalries between our two countries in the name of a so-called “One-Hundred-Year Marathon”. These attempts are questioning the achievements we have made together so painstakingly over the years. They are challenging the very outcome of our cooperation and putting at great risks the future of our relations. So many people and institutions including the USCBC and the business communities of both countries are worried and concerned.

 

幸运的是，正如艾伦大使刚才所说，习近平主席和特朗普总统上周六在布宜诺斯艾利斯举行了成功会晤。作为亲历者，我想说，这次会晤坦诚而友好，会见时间远超原计划。两国元首同意推进以协调、合作、稳定为基调的中美关系，保持密切沟通，包括进行互访。今后，我们要落实好两国元首达成的重要共识。中方坚定致力于在相互尊重、互利共赢基础上加强与美方的合作，共同解决实际问题，取得切实进展。为此，我们将“只争朝夕”。

Fortunately, as Ambassador Allen just said, President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump had a good meeting in Buenos Aires last Saturday. And as a participant, I can say the meeting was very frank and friendly and was much longer than planned. And the two heads of state have agreed to promote our relations centered on coordination, cooperation and stability. They have also agreed to keep close communication with each other, including by exchange of visits. Going forward, our task is to implement the important agreement between the two presidents. The Chinese team is firmly committed to working intensively with the American team on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit to address real issues and make real progress. We will seize the hour, seize the day.

 

我们即将迎来中美建交40周年。接下来数周及数月，我们不仅需要达成90天内的目标，更重要的是为未来40年的中美关系打下坚实的基础。当今世界正经历巨大、深刻的变化，我们两国都面临前所未有的机遇和挑战，两国都需要推进经济、社会等各领域的改革，扩大开放。两国人民都向往过上更美好的生活，这是他们不可剥夺的权利。我们必须努力使之付诸实现。因此，我们同属人类命运共同体。

Very soon we will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and United States. So what we’re going to do in the coming weeks and months is not only to achieve the goals for the 90 days, but more importantly, to lay down a more solid foundation for our relations for the next 40 years. The world is undergoing tremendous and fundamental changes. Both our countries are faced with unprecedented opportunities and challenges. Both our countries need to carry out reform, remain open and accomplish economic and social restructuring. Both our peoples have inalienable rights for better life and that aspiration has to be met. That’s why we are both part of the community of nations with a shared future.

 

当然，我们需要解决具体的经贸问题，但这不是零和游戏，我们必须取得双赢的结果。我相信两国工商界需要的是市场准入而不是壁垒，是开放的窗口而不是铁幕，是互联互通而不是彼此脱钩，是相互交融而不是渐行渐远，是伙伴关系而不是互为敌手。不管是鼓吹切断供应链、瓦解全球市场，还是宣扬使两国经济脱钩、阻碍科技交流，或是企图发动贸易战、关税战、网络战、冷战甚至热战，这些行为极不负责任，是逆历史潮流而动，绝对不会得逞。

Of course we’re going to solve specific economic and trade issues. But this is not going to be a zero-sum game. We have to aim at win-win outcomes. I believe business communities in both countries need access to market, not barriers, open windows not iron curtains, connectivity not decoupling, integration not fragmentation, and partners not adversaries. Those who are advocating cutting off the supply chain, those who are advocating disintegrating the global market, and decoupling our economies, raising barriers for scientific and technological exchanges, starting a trade war, tariff war, cyber war, cold war, or even hot war, they are behaving in a very irresponsible way. What they’re doing is against the historical tide of the world. And they will never succeed.

 

让我们共同努力，挫败那些欲将我们45年心血毁于一旦的企图，为两国关系的未来奠定更加坚实基础。我希望，当美中贸委会庆祝成立50、60、70周年时，我们可以说我们不辱使命，中美关系将如老布什前总统所说，“前景广阔，未来不可限量”。

Let’s work together to reject any attempt to squander the achievements we’ve made together over the last 45 years. Let’s work together to build an even stronger foundation for our future relations. When the USCBC celebrates its 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries, we can say to ourselves that we have done it and, to borrow a favorite phrase of President Bush, our relations will have “ceiling and visibility unlimited.”

 

谢谢！

Thank you!