Ambassador Xie Feng draws inspiration from the China-U.S. relationship over the past 45 years

The Chinese Embassy in the United States held a reception celebrating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States and the 2024 Chinese New Year on Tuesday, January 16.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng delivered remarks, sharing three inspirations from the China-U.S. relationship over the past 45 years.

First, turning our back on each other is not an option for China and the United States, Xie said. Decoupling will not work and will produce no winner, he added.

Second, it is unrealistic for one side to try to remodel the other, Xie continued. Confucius said, “A noble person seeks harmony without uniformity," he quoted. China and the United States were able to break the ice because the two sides showed mutual respect and found common ground, Xie said.

Third, conflict and confrontation have unbearable consequences for both sides, Xie said. Coexisting in peace and managing differences is the basic principle. Maintaining peace and stability across the Strait based on the Three Joint Communiqués serves the best interests of both China and the United States, Xie added.

The ambassador said it is important to act with a sense of responsibility for history and to keep in the right direction of China-U.S. relations. The two sides need to draw inspiration from history, view the relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, and make the right decisions to ensure sustained growth of the relationship in the next 45 years, Xie said.

Xie also said that the world today is far from tranquil. The Earth is big enough for China and the United States to develop respectively and prosper together, and the world could not achieve peace, stability, and development without our two countries working together, he said.

“Let’s have a race to the top, and compete to do a better job in running our country, contribute more to the world, and deliver more benefits to people around the globe,” Xie said.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming Year of the Dragon, Xie said the dragon symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and strength, and carries wishes for a smooth year with good weather and a bumper harvest. He said he hopes the world could see less rivalry but more goodwill, less “fuming dragon, roaring tiger”, but more “soaring dragon, leaping tiger.”

“We need to act with the vitality of a dragon and earnestly foster China-U.S. friendship. Let’s keep the steering wheel steady, hoist the sail of dialogue and cooperation, navigate the giant ship of China-U.S. relations without getting disoriented, losing speed or even having a collision, and continue to break waves and forge ahead along the right course," Xie said.