温故知新，面向未来 走出一条新时期中美正确相处之道——谢锋大使在“2024香港中美论坛”上的致辞

Look to the future with history as a guide and find the right way for China and the United States to get along in the new era —— Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Xie Feng at the U.S.-China Hong Kong Forum 2024

尊敬的赵令欢主席，

毕井泉理事长，

陆慷副部长，

塔迪奇前总统，

巴尔舍夫斯基主席，

伯恩斯大使，博卡斯大使，

女士们、先生们、朋友们：

Chairman John Zhao,

Chairman Bi Jingquan,

Vice Minister Lu Kang,

President Boris Tadić,

Chair Charlene Barshefsky,

Ambassador Nicholas Burns,

Ambassador Max Baucus,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

很高兴以视频方式重回香江，2017至2021年我在外交部驻港公署工作，转眼将近4年了，十分想念在香港结识的朋友们。首先，我要向“香港中美论坛”成功召开表示祝贺，借此机会也向各位新老朋友致以诚挚问候。

It gives me great pleasure to join you in Hong Kong virtually. From 2017 to 2021, I had the honor to serve as Commissioner of the Foreign Ministry of China in the Hong Kong SAR. Time flies, and it has been nearly four years since I left, but I still hold fond memories of my friends there. So first of all, let me extend my warm congratulations to the successful opening of the U.S.-China Hong Kong Forum, and also my best wishes to friends old and new!

在中美建交45周年、美国大选落下帷幕之际，本次论坛以“回顾与展望”为主题恰如其分。前事不忘，后事之师。回头看，中美关系走过一条不平凡的道路，给两国和世界带来巨大和平红利、稳定红利、发展红利。历史昭示我们，中美合作能够办成事、办好事、办大事，中美对抗将导致大动荡、大分裂、大灾难。向前看，中美关系又站在新的历史起点上，何去何从，两国人民关心、国际社会瞩目。习近平主席指出，希望双方加强对话沟通，妥善管控分歧，拓展互利合作，走出一条新时期中美正确相处之道。中美关系稳定、健康、可持续发展符合两国共同利益，相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢才是面向未来的正确选择。

As we mark the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations and as the U.S. presidential election has drawn to an end, the theme of this year’s forum, “Reflection and Forecast”, is highly relevant. “History, if not forgotten, can serve as a guide for the future.” Over the years, the China-U.S. relationship has travelled an extraordinary journey, bringing tremendous dividends of peace, stability and development to both countries and the world. History tells us that when China and the United States work together, we can make a big difference; if we confront one another, turbulence, division and disaster would ensue.

Going forward, the relationship is again at a new historical starting point. Both our peoples and the world are watching closely where it will head. President Xi Jinping has called for joint efforts to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and find the right way for China and the United States to get along with each other in the new era. A stable, sound and sustainable China-U.S. relationship is in our common interests. And mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation represent the right path to take.

双方要加强对话沟通。作为世界前两大经济体、联合国安理会常任理事国和核大国，中美不来往不打交道是不可能的，冲突对抗的代价是谁都不可承受的。中国文化向来有遇事多商量、有事好商量的传统。中美各有关切，完全可以把问题摆到桌面上坦诚沟通，通过平等协商寻求解决办法。把对话都当成敏感词匪夷所思，实质是重回冷战式隔绝对抗。双方要确立对话而非对抗、双赢而非零和的交往基调，加强各层级各领域对话，消除误解误判，扩大利益交汇点，拉紧人文交流纽带，让中美关系的源头活水流动起来。中方对话的大门始终敞开，欢迎两国人民多来往、多交流，愿同美国做伙伴、做朋友，希望美方同中方相向而行。

The two sides need to strengthen dialogue and communication. We are the world’s two largest economies, permanent members of the UN Security Council, and nuclear-power states. Turning our back on each other is not an option. Conflict or confrontation would have consequences neither side can afford. In Chinese culture, we believe whenever there is an issue, the best way forward is to sit down and talk it through. While China and the United States each have our own concerns, we can well put the issues on the table, have candid communication, and find a solution through equal-footed consultation. It would be ridiculous if the very word “dialogue” should become a taboo, which would mean a chilling return to the Cold-war-era estrangement and confrontation. 

The two sides need to let dialogue and win-win results define our interactions, not confrontation or zero-sum mentality. We need to enhance dialogue at various levels and in various fields, eliminate misunderstanding and miscalculation, expand common interests, and foster closer ties between our two peoples, so as to inject fresh impetus into China-U.S. relations. China is always open to dialogue. We welcome more exchanges between our peoples, and we are willing to be partners and friends of the United States. We hope the U.S. side will also move with us in the same direction.

双方要妥善管控分歧。世界在发展，时代在变化，中美不能重复大国冲突的旧历史，必须确保中美关系这艘巨轮不偏航、不失速、不碰撞。中国人讲“得其大者可以兼其小”，要从战略高度和长远角度把握和处理中美关系，中国没有超越或取代美国的规划，美国也不要有遏制打压中国的打算。要聚焦共同利益，不能只盯着分歧，任由摩擦占据头条。要尊重彼此核心利益和重大关切，以建设性方式妥善管控分歧，让消极因素越减越少。台湾问题是中国核心利益中的核心、中美关系政治基础中的基础，是可能引发冲突对抗的最大燃爆点。打“台湾牌”只会引火烧身，言行一致恪守一中原则和中美三个联合公报，旗帜鲜明反对“台独”，才是维护台海和平稳定。

The two sides need to properly manage differences. Time has changed. Past tragedies of major-country conflict should not be allowed to repeat. It is important to ensure the giant ship of the China-U.S. relationship will not lose direction or speed, still less having a collision. As a Chinese saying goes, “The finer details will fall into place when they are aligned with the bigger picture.” We need to view and handle China-U.S. relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. China has no plan to overtake or displace the United States. We hope the U.S. side will also have no intention to contain or suppress China. We need to focus more on our common interests, instead of being preoccupied by differences and allowing them to dominate the headlines. We need to respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, properly manage differences in a constructive manner, and minimize negative factors.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, and is the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. If mishandled, it could be the biggest flash point that may trigger conflict and confrontation. Any force trying to play Taiwan as a card would be playing with fire. To truly uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, one should commit to the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques in both word and deed, and unequivocally oppose “Taiwan independence”.

双方要拓展互利合作。中美合作从来不是你输我赢的零和游戏，也不是一方吃亏一方占便宜的单行道，否则两国经贸合作怎么可能达到如今规模？算经济账，中美贸易额超过6600亿美元，7万多家在华美企年利润达500亿美元；算就业账，仅对华出口就支撑美93万个就业岗位；算民生账，中国商品不仅丰富了美消费者选择，还降低了生活成本，中国投资不仅拉动美就业、还助力当地经济发展。中美利益深度融合，脱钩断链既不经济也不现实，贸易战科技战是双刃剑，损人不利己的事为什么要做？地球容得下中美各自发展、共同繁荣, 两国应该成为对方发展的助力而非阻力。无论是经贸、农业、能源等传统领域，还是人工智能、公共卫生等新兴挑战，双方都拥有广阔的互利合作空间。

The two sides also need to expand mutually beneficial cooperation. China-U.S. cooperation is never a zero-sum game, nor a one-way street where one party gets all the benefits. Otherwise, how could our economic cooperation grow to the current size? Economically, our total trade has exceeded 660 billion US dollars, and over 70,000 American companies are doing business in China, earning a profit of 50 billion US dollars annually. In terms of employment, exports to China alone support 930,000 jobs in the United States. In terms of livelihood, Chinese products have not only offered American consumers more choices but also lowered costs for them, and Chinese investment has not only created more jobs in the United States but also bolstered local economies.

Our interests are so deeply intertwined, that decoupling and disrupting supply chains do not make economic sense and simply will not work. Trade war or tech war is a double-edged sword. Why should anyone opt for something that serves nobody’s interest?

The Earth is big enough for China and the United States to develop respectively and prosper together. Our two countries should be a boost, not an obstacle, to each other’s development. From traditional areas like economy and trade, agriculture and energy, to emerging challenges such as AI and public health, the two sides enjoy vast room for mutually beneficial cooperation.

各位朋友，

Dear friends,

抚今追昔，中美关系的昨天可谓“雄关漫道真如铁”，双方以勇气和智慧推动中美关系历经风雨、砥砺前行；“而今迈步从头越”，双方有责任和能力找到中美在这个星球上的正确相处之道，这离不开包括在座各位在内的两国各界人士添砖加瓦。感谢中美交流基金会长期以来为促进两国交流合作做出的重要贡献。

Throughout the decades, with the courage and wisdom of both sides, the China-U.S. relationship has braved wind and rain and forged ahead against all odds. Today, we need to set out again. The two sides should and can find the right way to get along on this planet. To do that, the support from people from both countries, including all of you here, is indispensable. I would like to thank the China-United States Exchange Foundation for its important contribution to promoting bilateral exchanges and cooperation over all these years.

香港拥有“背靠祖国、面向世界”的独特地位和优势，今天正处在由治及兴的新阶段。香港与美国利益联系深厚，保持香港繁荣稳定符合中美共同利益。让我们共同努力，把握机遇，排除干扰，擦亮香港作为国际金融、贸易、航运中心的“金字招牌”，让“东方明珠”的明天更美好！

Hong Kong has unique strengths as it enjoys the backing of the motherland and is open to the world, and has restored order and is set to thrive. The interests of Hong Kong and the United States are also deeply interconnected. Therefore, a prosperous and stable Hong Kong serves the common interests of China and the United States. Let’s work together to seize opportunities and remove disruptions, so as to let Hong Kong shine brighter as an international financial, trading and shipping center, and usher in a better future for the “Pearl of the Orient”!

谢谢。

Thank you very much.