1、Good afternoon. It is a great honor for me to be here in Shanghai, and to have this opportunity to speak with all of you. Id like to thank Fudan Universitys President Yang for his hospitality and his gracious welcome. Id also like to thank our outstanding Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, who exemplifies th
2、e deep ties and respect between our nations. I dont know what he said, but I hope it was good. (Laughter.) What Id like to do is to make some opening comments, and then what Im really looking forward to doing is taking questions, not only from students who are in the audience, but also weve received
3、 questions online, which will be asked by some of the students who are here in the audience, as well as by Ambassador Huntsman. And I am very sorry that my Chinese is not as good as your English, but I am looking forward to this chance to have a dialogue. This is my first time traveling to China, an
4、d Im excited to see this majestic country. Here, in Shanghai, we see the growth that has caught the attention of the world - the soaring skyscrapers, the bustling streets and entrepreneurial activity. And just as Im impressed by these signs of Chinas journey to the 21st century, Im eager to see thos
5、e ancient places that speak to us from Chinas distant past. Tomorrow and the next day I hope to have a chance when Im in Beijing to see the majesty of the Forbidden City and the wonder of the Great Wall. Truly, this is a nation that encompasses both a rich history and a belief in the promise of the
6、future. The same can be said of the relationship between our two countries. Shanghai, of course, is a city that has great meaning in the history of the relationship between the United States and China. It was here, 37 years ago, that the Shanghai Communique opened the door to a new chapter of engage
7、ment between our governments and among our people. However, Americas ties to this city - and to this country - stretch back further, to the earliest days of Americas independence. In 1784, our founding father, George Washington, commissioned the Empress of China, a ship that set sail for these shore
8、s so that it could pursue trade with the Qing Dynasty. Washington wanted to see the ship carry the flag around the globe, and to forge new ties with nations like China. This is a common American impulse - the desire to reach for new horizons, and to forge new partnerships that are mutually beneficia
9、l. Over the two centuries that have followed, the currents of history have steered the relationship between our countries in many directions. And even in the midst of tumultuous winds, our people had opportunities to forge deep and even dramatic ties. For instance, Americans will never forget the ho
10、spitality shown to our pilots who were shot down over your soil during World War II, and cared for by Chinese civilians who risked all that they had by doing so. And Chinese veterans of that war still warmly greet those American veterans who return to the sites where they fought to help liberate Chi
11、na from occupation. A different kind of connection was made nearly 40 years ago when the frost between our countries began to thaw through the simple game of table tennis. The very unlikely nature of this engagement contributed to its success - because for all our differences, both our common humani
12、ty and our shared curiosity were revealed. As one American player described his visit to China - “Thepeople are just like usThe country is very similar to America, but still very different.“ Of course this small opening was followed by the achievement of the Shanghai Communique, and the eventual est
13、ablishment of formal relations between the United States and China in 1979. And in three decades, just look at how far we have come. In 1979, trade between the United States and China stood at roughly $5 billion - today it tops over $400 billion each year. The commerce affects our peoples lives in s
14、o many ways. America imports from China many of the computer parts we use, the clothes we wear; and we export to China machinery that helps power your industry. This trade could create even more jobs on both sides of the Pacific, while allowing our people to enjoy a better quality of life. And as de
15、mand becomes more balanced, it can lead to even broader prosperity. In 1979, the political cooperation between the United States and China was rooted largely in our shared rivalry with the Soviet Union. Today, we have a positive, constructive and comprehensive relationship that opens the door to par
16、tnership on the key global issues of our time - economic recovery and the development of clean energy; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and the scourge of climate change; the promotion of peace and security in Asia and around the globe. All of these issues will be on the agenda tomorrow when I
17、 meet with President Hu. And in 1979, the connections among our people were limited. Today, we see the curiosity of those ping-pong players manifested in the ties that are being forged across many sectors. The second highest number of foreign students in the United States come from China, and weve s
18、een a 50 percent increase in the study of Chinese among our own students. There are nearly 200 “friendship cities“ drawing our communities together. American and Chinese scientists cooperate on new research and discovery. And of course, Yao Ming is just one signal of our shared love of basketball -
19、Im only sorry that I wont be able to see a Shanghai Sharks game while Im visiting. It is no coincidence that the relationship between our countries has accompanied a period of positive change. China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty - an accomplishment unparalleled in human hi
20、story - while playing a larger role in global events. And the United States has seen our economy grow along with the standard of living enjoyed by our people, while bringing the Cold War to a successful conclusion. There is a Chinese proverb: “Consider the past, and you shall know the future.“ Surel
21、y, we have known setbacks and challenges over the last 30 years. Our relationship has not been without disagreement and difficulty. But the notion that we must be adversaries is not predestined - not when we consider the past. Indeed, because of our cooperation, both the United States and China are
22、more prosperous and more secure. We have seen what is possible when we build upon our mutual interests, and engage on the basis of mutual respect. And yet the success of that engagement depends upon understanding - on sustaining an open dialogue, and learning about one another and from one another.
23、For just as that American table tennis player pointed out - we share much in common as human beings, but our countries are different in certain ways. I believe that each country must chart its own course. China is an ancient nation, with a deeply rooted culture. The United States, by comparison, is
24、a young nation, whose culture is determined by the many different immigrants who have come to our shores, and by the founding documents that guide our democracy. Those documents put forward a simple vision of human affairs, and they enshrine several core principles - that all men and women are creat
25、ed equal, and possess certain fundamental rights; that government should reflect the will of the people and respond to their wishes; that commerce should be open, information freely accessible; and that laws, and not simply men, should guarantee the administration of justice. Of course, the story of
26、 our nation is not without its difficult chapters. In many ways - over many years - we have struggled to advance the promise of these principles to all of our people, and to forge a more perfect union. We fought a very painful civil war, and freed a portion of our population from slavery. It took ti
27、me for women to be extended the right to vote, workers to win the right to organize, and for immigrants from different corners of the globe to be fully embraced. Even after they were freed, African Americans persevered through conditions that were separate and not equal, before winning full and equa
28、l rights. None of this was easy. But we made progress because of our belief in those core principles, which have served as our compass through the darkest of storms. That is why Lincoln could stand up in the midst of civil war and declare it a struggle to see whether any nation, conceived in liberty
29、, and “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal“ could long endure. That is why Dr. Martin Luther King could stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and ask that our nation live out the true meaning of its creed. Thats why immigrants from China to Kenya could find a home on our
30、 shores; why opportunity is available to all who would work for it; and why someone like me, who less than 50 years ago would have had trouble voting in some parts of America, is now able to serve as its President. And that is why America will always speak out for these core principles around the wo
31、rld. We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation, but we also dont believe that the principles that we stand for are unique to our nation. These freedoms of expression and worship - of access to information and political participation - we believe are universal rights. They
32、 should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities - whether they are in the United States, China, or any nation. Indeed, it is that respect for universal rights that guides Americas openness to other countries; our respect for different cultures; our commitment to interna
33、tional law; and our faith in the future. These are all things that you should know about America. I also know that we have much to learn about China. Looking around at this magnificent city - and looking around this room - I do believe that our nations hold something important in common, and that is
34、 a belief in the future. Neither the United States nor China is content to rest on our achievements. For while China is an ancient nation, you are also clearly looking ahead with confidence, ambition, and a commitment to see that tomorrows generation can do better than todays. In addition to your gr
35、owing economy, we admire Chinas extraordinary commitment to science and research - a commitment borne out in everything from the infrastructure you build to the technology you use. China is now the worlds largest Internet user - which is why we were so pleased to include the Internet as a part of to
36、days event. This country now has the worlds largest mobile phone network, and it is investing in the new forms of energy that can both sustain growth and combat climate change - and Im looking forward to deepening the partnership between the United States and China in this critical area tomorrow. Bu
37、t above all, I see Chinas future in you - young people whose talent and dedication and dreams will do so much to help shape the 21st century. Ive said many times that I believe that our world is now fundamentally interconnected. The jobs we do, the prosperity we build, the environment we protect, th
38、e security that we seek - all of these things are shared. And given that interconnection, power in the 21st century is no longer a zero-sum game; one countrys success need not come at the expense of another. And that is why the United States insists we do not seek to contain Chinas rise. On the cont
39、rary, we welcome China as a strong and prosperous and successful member of the community of nations - a China that draws on the rights, strengths and creativity of individual Chinese like you. To return to the proverb - consider the past. We know that more is to be gained when great powers cooperate
40、 than when they collide. That is a lesson that human beings have learned time and again, and that is the example of the history between our nations. And I believe strongly that cooperation must go beyond our government. It must be rooted in our people - in the studies we share, the business that we
41、do, the knowledge that we gain, and even in the sports that we play. And these bridges must be built by young men and women just like you and your counterparts in America. Thats why Im pleased to announce that the United States will dramatically expand the number of our students who study in China t
42、o 100,000. And these exchanges mark a clear commitment to build ties among our people, as surely as you will help determine the destiny of the 21st century. And Im absolutely confident that America has no better ambassadors to offer than our young people. For they, just like you, are filled with tal
43、ent and energy and optimism about the history that is yet to be written. So let this be the next step in the steady pursuit of cooperation that will serve our nations, and the world. And if theres one thing that we can take from todays dialogue, I hope that it is a commitment to continue this dialogue going forward. So thank you very much. And I look forward now to taking some questions from all of you. Thank you very much.
