Bearing in Mind History, Setting the Right Course and Creating the Future for China-US Relations

Qi Zhenhong

The year 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States. As a famous Chinese proverb says, “One becomes clear-minded at forty.” However, because of misunderstanding, misinterpretation and misjudgment by some American personalities, China-US relations are getting increasingly perplexed and have once again arrived at a crossroads.

Looking back in history, we may learn from past experience, recalibrate our mutual relations, and identify a new direction for future development.

First, China and the US have a long history of friendship. Official exchanges between the two countries began in 1843 when President Zachary Taylor dispatched American diplomat Caleb Cushing to China. Although China was a victim of foreign invasion and domestic confusion in a miserable and disintegrated situation in those days, the United States, as a young republic which differed from other Western powers, made a fair assessment of China and treated justly those issues that involved China's major interests. The Chinese people were full of gratitude and called the US the “beautiful country.” During World War II, Chinese and American soldiers and civilians fought courageously side by side in the battles against Japanese fascist aggression and expansion, and together they safeguarded world peace. At a particularly critical juncture in China's war of resistance against Japanese fascist invasion, General Claire Lee Chennault and his comrades in arms, as outstanding sons and daughters of the American people, overcame all hardships and difficulties to arrive in China and offer their help to the Chinese people in their fight against Japan during the world's anti-fascist war. Since the resumption of diplomatic ties between China and the US in the 1970s, increasing interactions and exchanges between the two peoples have laid a solid foundation of public support, making their friendship more persistent and more resilient to withstand the trials of the ups and downs in inter-state relations.

Second, in their bilateral relations, the US has been an independent variable while China a dependent one. As the US is stronger than China, the direction of China-US relations has been largely steered by the US. The deterioration or even conflict in relations between the two countries was in many instances caused by strategic misjudgment made by the US toward China, and by Washington's failure to respect China's core interests and major concerns. In this regard, China had no other option but to respond, while the US also suffered serious setbacks concerning its own interests. This was obvious 70 years ago, when the US administration pursued a hostile policy towards the New China, which resulted in a 23-year-long isolation and confrontation between the two countries.

And finally, the Chinese people have a fundamental desire for stability and development, and their aspiration for a peaceful, prosperous and happy life has been an unchanging constant. In periods of war and turmoil, it was impossible for the Chinese people to live a peaceful life; when America isolated and showed hostility toward China, it was difficult for the Chinese people to lead a prosperous life. Forty-seven years ago, President Richard Nixon reopened the door for contacts and exchanges between China and the US, and paved the road to peace and prosperity for the two countries. Since the Chinese people have chosen the path of reform and opening-up, the quality of their life has been steadily improved by virtue of their great diligence and hard work. However, we have remained sober-minded about the fact that China will continue to be a developing country. Among the population of 1.4 billion, there are still over 600 million farmers whose disposable monthly income is below US$200. In addition, there are 280 million migrant workers who belong to the hidden poverty segment of the population. China still has a long journey ahead before it realizes full modernization.

Looking toward the future, the prospects for enhancing China-US relations will surely be brighter, due to the following reasons:

First, friendly cooperation is in the common interest of the two sides. The success of one is the prerequisite of the success of the other, while the opposite guarantees failure. Over the past 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the bond between the two peoples has become closer, and the interests of the two countries have become increasingly intertwined. Despite the ups and downs in bilateral relations, an overall positive momentum has been maintained, with cooperation results benefiting both peoples and the world at large. For example, the China-US trade volume in 1979 was lower than $2.5 billion, but in 2018 the value of bilateral trade in goods surpassed $630 billion, an astonishing 251-fold increase. The economic output of China and the US combined amounts to 40% of the world's total, which exceeds the GDP of the other top 10 economies put together. The two countries make up 25% of the world's exports of goods and account for nearly 30% of the world's total in their outbound investment or attraction of foreign investment. The rapid pace of development of China-US relations depends precisely on the fundamental features of mutual benefits and mutual interests in bilateral ties.

Second, China is steadfast in cultivating friendly and cooperative relations with the US. To let every Chinese citizen enjoy a decent standard of living, we must unremittingly make great efforts to strive for more economic improvements, always putting development as the top priority in the country's governance and rejuvenation. China is confronted with enormous challenges and many pressing issues. Sound China-US relations can create a more favorable external environment for China's development, which implies that China has no motive whatsoever to hurt its relations with the US. Due to its cultural tradition, national attributes and the requirements of the times, China is doomed to take its own unique development path, distinct from those of other traditional major powers. This particular road of socialism with Chinese characteristics determines that China will neither seek to become similar to the US, nor pose any serious challenge to the US, even less take over its place in the world.

Third, the international community expects and needs intensified China-US cooperation. In the era of globalization, there have emerged many new contradictions and problems in the endeavor for world peace and development. The widening gap between the rich and the poor, regional turbulences, climate change, terrorism, cyber security, major epidemics, and other common challenges confronting mankind require firm solidarity and coordinated cooperation between China and the US. In today's world, no country can single-handedly handle all the challenges facing mankind, nor can any country retreat or withdraw to a selfenclosed island. Stepping up China-US cooperation serves not only to meet international expectations, but also to fulfill each country's respective international responsibilities.

And fourth, history has repeatedly taught us that China-US cooperation benefits both countries while confrontation does harm to all. The trend of the times has repeatedly enlightened us that strengthening cooperation between the two countries is the only rational choice. China and the US are the world's largest developing country and the most powerful developed country respectively, and between the two there are characteristic differences in history, culture, social system and level of development. In the course of increasingly closer exchanges and more integrated mutual interests, there will emerge misgivings, contradictions and even frictions, but this is neither surprising nor horrifying. The key is how to correctly observe, judge and deal with these problems. At present, the prevailing sentiment in the US seems to regard toughness toward China as a political correctness. This has already damaged China-US relations, and perhaps this unfortunate situation will continue for an extended time. However, we are absolutely convinced that the US policy toward China will eventually return to a reasonable and pragmatic track, because it corresponds to the fundamental interests of the American people. China and the US are both great countries and their two peoples are magnificent. The two sides definitely possess the capability, wisdom and confidence to manage their differences and remove all interference and obstacles for continued progress of their bilateral relations.

A China that adheres to the path of peace, cooperation and openness is an opportunity for rather than a threat to the US; and a China that plays a constructive role in the international arena is a partner rather than an opponent of the US. I believe that more and more American friends will agree with me. So long as we make concerted efforts and work together to build coordinated, cooperative and stable relations in accordance with the important consensus reached by leaders of the two nations, the relationship between China and the US as well as the rest of the world will certainly flourish over the next four decades.