崔天凯大使同布鲁金斯学会视频交流时的主旨讲话
Keynote Speech by Ambassador Cui Tiankai at the Webinar with Brookings Institution
2020年8月20日
20 August 2020
感谢艾伦会长对我的邀请，也感谢布鲁金斯学会长期以来对中美关系的关心和支持。
Thank you, President Allen, for inviting me to this webinar. I also want to thank the Brookings Institution for its long-term support for the development of the China-US relationship.
日前，美国前总统国家安全事务助理斯考克罗夫特将军不幸逝世，中方对此表示沉痛哀悼。多年来，以斯考克罗夫特将军为代表的有胆识、睿智的政治家引领中美关系走过风风雨雨。在世界大变局中，他们给予人们灵感和力量。他们树立的榜样将鼓舞我们不懈努力，确保中美关系继续行进在正确轨道上。
Last week, General Brent Scowcroft, former US National Security Advisor to the President, passed away, by which we are truly saddened. For many years, we have been lucky to have brave and wise statesmen, like the General, who helped guide the China-US relationship through the turbulent years. They are a source of inspiration and strength for us in the midst of fundamental changes in the international landscape. They have galvanized us into working even harder to move forward the relationship on the right track.
当前，中美关系正在朝错误方向发展，有人将其形容为“自由落体”。两国关系一直存在这样那样的问题和困难，但如今令人警惕的是，有人企图否定两国几代人通过数十年艰苦卓绝努力取得的成就，蓄意将双方推向对抗和冲突。在新冠肺炎疫情肆虐全球、世界经济遭受重挫的情况下，各国尤其是大国亟需开展合作，上述局面则对合作构成严重干扰。中美关系恶化还重创全球经济信心，给两国和世界人民都带来严重后果。
Today, the China-US relationship is going in the wrong direction, described by some as in a “free fall”. Over the years, it has never been short of problems and difficulties, but alarmingly, there are attempts now to negate what has been built up so painstakingly by generations of Chinese and Americans over the decades and to deliberately push our two countries into conflict and confrontation. All these are happening in the context of the raging pandemic and the consequently flagging global economy. They are happening when international cooperation is urgently needed, especially between major countries, and this situation is greatly hindering our cooperation. The deterioration of China-US relations also undermines people’s confidence in the global economy, with serious consequences for both countries and the world.
美国一些人热衷搞大国竞争和战略对抗。回顾本世纪以来发生的“9·11”恐怖袭击、国际金融危机以及当前新冠肺炎疫情，这三大危机无疑都是战略性的，但已非传统意义上的安全威胁，无一能靠传统的大国竞争工具箱解决。世界已经变了。大国之间固然会有分歧甚至竞争，但这不是对抗的理由。今天，推动大国合作的力量远远大于推动分裂的力量。搞污名化不会令任何人伟大，搞“意识形态十字军东征”不能解决当今世界任何问题，注定遭到失败。
Some people here and elsewhere are obsessed with great-power competition and strategic rivalry. But if we have a close look at the three major international crises in the 21st century, namely, the “9.11” terrorist attack, the global financial crisis and the current pandemic, they are all of a strategic nature, but not in the traditional sense of the word. None of them could be resolved with the tool box of great-power competition. The world has changed. It is natural for major countries to have differences and even competition, but they do not justify confrontation. Today, what pushes major countries to cooperate far outweighs what drives them apart. Stigmatization will not make anybody great. Ideological crusades will not solve any problem in today’s world and is doomed to fail.
也许有人认为，搞对抗有助于遏制中国发展，甚至更迭中国政权，这是痴心妄想。历史反复证明，外部压力只会使中国人民更加团结、中国社会更加凝聚、中国经济更具韧性。一些人如此沉迷于“冷战”一词，或许是认为他们曾赢得冷战，但不应忘记世界为40多年冷战付出的代价。即便冷战期间也发生过朝鲜战争和越南战争两场热战，使美国及相关国家付出惨痛代价。我们不应让历史重演。如果中美关系的负面趋势继续发展，中国可能面临更多困难和挑战，但“新冷战”的发起者也必须仔细掂量自己将付出的代价，以及给世界带来的灾祸。“钟为谁鸣”，将来会有算账的一天。
Maybe some believe that driving up confrontation could slow down and contain China’s development, and even bring about a regime change. This is nothing but wishful thinking. History has proved time and again that external pressure will only lead to greater unity of the Chinese people, stronger cohesion of the Chinese society and better resilience of the Chinese economy. Some people like the term “cold war” so much, maybe bolstered by their victory in the Cold War. But they should not forget the prices the world paid for it in a span of some four decades, not to mention the bitter costs the United States and other countries paid in the two hot wars, i.e. the Korean War and the Vietnam War, which were fought during the Cold War. We should not allow the history to repeat itself. If the negative trend of China-US relations is allowed to continue, China might have to face more difficulties and challenges. But the initiators of the so-called “New Cold War” must weigh the costs they have to pay and the consequences for the world. For whom the bell tolls, there will be a day of reckoning.
当前中美关系的根本问题在于：在中国与现有国际秩序深度融合的情况下，美国能否容纳中国，与一个历史、文化和制度不同的国家和平共处？从中美开启关系正常化进程直至建交开始，双方已作出选择，即两国必须和平共处、共同演进、管控分歧、扩大合作，发展全面、稳定和建设性的关系。我希望任何人都不要否定历史，导致两国关系沿着危险的道路滑下去。
At present, the fundamental question for the China-US relationship is: as China has deeply integrated itself into the current international system, is the United States ready to accommodate China and live with a country with a different history, culture and system? It’s fair to say that, with the normalization of bilateral relations and the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and the United States already made their choice, i.e. we need to live in peace, strive for co-evolution, properly manage our differences, expand cooperation, and build a comprehensive, stable and constructive relationship. I hope people will not try to negate all this and let the relationship go down a very dangerous path.
中国始终是国际体系的积极参与者、支持者和贡献者。同时，中国作为一个拥有古老文明的大国，融入国际体系不可避免为之带来一些变化，国际体系也要相应作出调整。这如同化学反应一样，完全自然、合理。但中国无意对现有国际体系进行“革命”或自己创建全新体系，而是希望在融入、适应的同时积极推动根据形势变化进行相应改革。美国是否愿与中国等各国共同努力，确保国际秩序和全球体系符合国际社会所有成员国需要，携手应对各种风险和挑战；还是任由局面失控，沉迷于大国竞争的零和游戏、陷入“修昔底德陷阱”？美国必须作出根本性的选择。
China has been an active participant, supporter and contributor of the current international system. Meanwhile, as a major country with an ancient civilization, China’s integration would inevitably bring changes to the international system, which needs to make adjustments accordingly. This is only logical and natural, like a kind of chemical reaction. Yet our intention is not to have a revolution or start up an entirely new system. While China has been trying to integrate into and adjust to the international system, we do hope the system could make necessary reforms in light of the varying circumstances. Will the United State be ready to work with China and other countries to ensure that the international order and global system will meet the needs of the entire international community, and address various global risks and challenges? Or instead, will the US remain obsessed with zero-sum game and major-power competition, let the situation spiral out of control and fall into the “Thucydides Trap”? This is a fundamental choice the United States has to make.
“后疫情世界”建设为中美合作提供了难得良机。那将是一个非常不同的世界，技术进步等因素导致国际经济结构和供应链深刻调整，经济指导思想也将发生变化，对公共卫生等社会问题、如何应对传染病蔓延的关注上升。新形势下，国际社会应加强宏观经济政策协调，并对全球治理体系进行改革，特别是在公共卫生等社会领域。面对重要任务和严峻挑战，中美应作出正确选择，在相互理解和尊重基础上，不仅为构建“后疫情世界”新的全球治理体系和国际秩序发挥积极作用，而且发展更稳定、更具前瞻性和更强有力的中美关系。
The “post-pandemic world” may provide a good opportunity for China and the United States to cooperate. It will be a very different world. Technological progress and other factors will lead to restructuring of the global economy and the supply chain. There will even be some changes in the guiding economic philosophy, and greater priority will be given to social issues like public health and contagious diseases. A new situation presses for better international macroeconomic policy coordination and reform of the global governance system, especially in social sectors such as public health. Facing this major task and severe challenge, China and United States should make the right choice, on the basis of mutual understanding and respect, play a positive role for a “post-pandemic” world order and global governance system, and build a more forward-looking, stronger and more stable relationship between our two great countries.
中方一如既往致力于与美方一道，克服困难、面向未来，构建以协调、合作、稳定为基调的中美关系。近期，中方已就此发出一系列清晰信号。中共中央政治局委员、中央外事工作委员会办公室主任杨洁篪发表长文，从纵观历史的角度阐述对中美关系的看法。国务委员兼外长王毅等多次发表讲话和接受采访，重申中方坚定致力于推动中美关系健康发展。我们期待得到美方积极回应。
China remains committed to working with the United States to overcome the difficulties and build a future-oriented relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability. Lately there have been official statements from Beijing with this clear message. Mr. Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, published a comprehensive article, elaborating his views on the China-US relationship from a historical perspective. State Counselor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior officials reiterated China’s commitment to the healthy development of China-US relations in their speeches and interviews. We look forward to positive responses from the US side.
也许有人认为中方在等待今年11月美国大选结果。我愿声明，中方没有等待，更不愿在等待中浪费时间。预测或影响美国内政走向远非中方所能，中方既无意愿、也无兴趣卷入其中。大约半个世纪前尼克松总统访华时，曾引用毛泽东主席的诗词“一万年太久，只争朝夕”。今天，我们仍愿只争朝夕，随时随地与美国现政府合作，寻求解决问题的办法。也希望美方一些人尽快摆脱恐惧和偏执，因为这正使他们失去常识，甚至到了令人震惊的地步。
Maybe some people believe that China is just waiting for the result of the US presidential election in November. Let me make it very clear here, we are not waiting for anything, and we are never willing to waste time in waiting. Besides, American domestic dynamics is well beyond what we can predict or influence. We have no intention or interest to get involved. During his visit to China almost 50 years ago, President Richard Nixon cited Chairman Mao’s poem, “We should seize the day, seize the hour”. Today we still need to seize the day, seize the hour. We are ready to work with the current administration to search for solutions to existing problems anytime anywhere, even today or tomorrow. I just hope that they will free themselves from the panic and paranoia, which is costing them common sense in such a shocking way.
中美两国社会各界应高度警惕任何试图将中美关系推向对抗冲突的险恶图谋，坚决防止“麦卡锡主义”回潮，积极扩大交往合作，推动中美关系尽快回归正轨。
People from all walks of life in China and the United States should stay guarded against vicious attempts to push the bilateral relationship to confrontation and conflict. We should firmly resist any resurgence of McCarthyism, and expand two-way exchanges and cooperation, so as to get the China-US relationship back to the right track as soon as possible.