The 40 years of history of Sino-US relations has made it clear that cooperation benefits both sides while confrontation results in harms.

As the two biggest economies in the world, both China and the U.S. should take the responsibility to enhance the sustainable, healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations and work together to meet global challenges, which is also the common expectation of the international community.

Amity between people holds the key to the sound relations between states. To enhance mutual understanding, friendly exchanges and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries is the starting point for official exchanges.

In 2011, nearly 1.4 million Chinese mainland citizens visited the U.S., while 2.12 million American citizens visited China.

In the past 30 years, the flow of people between the United States and China has gone from virtually non-existent to the hundreds of thousands, more than 3 million people a year travel across the Pacific.

At present, there are almost 4 million overseas Chinese in the United States, who have made energetic contributions to further China-US relations and step up exchanges and cooperation in all areas.

The extensive and growing social interactions have brought rapidly growth of the economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Their bilateral trade has witnessed steady rising momentum from less than 2.5 billion dollars a year in early days to more than 440 billion dollar in 2011.

China and the US are now each other’s second largest trade partner. China has been the US’s fastest growing export market for the last decade, and the U.S. has been China’s biggest single export market.

China-US cooperation in economy and trade has brought tangible benefits to both peoples.

The development of cultural and educational exchanges is another example of frequent personal exchanges between the two countries.

China has implemented such programs as “Chinese Bridge” to attract 10,000 foreign friends to study in China, the project of sending 10,000 Chinese students to the United States for Ph.D degree in four years and the“China-USA Library Exchange program” including 2000 Chinese library staffs. On the other hand, the United States has launched the project of sending 100,000 American to study in China.

By 2011, it was the second year for Chinese students to be the biggest body of international students in the United States. Moreover, China has been the only Asian countriy on the list of the top-10 destinations of overseas studies for American students.

Young overseas students have been a new force to play an important role in promoting frequent contacts and exchanges between the two countries.

40 years has gone in a flash. Although China-US relationship has undergone trials and hardships, a good momentum of development has still been kept. It is achieved by the two peoples and their leaders from generation to generation through joint efforts, which is hard-won and has precious value.

As Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said in his speech at the ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of former U.S. President Richard Nixon's visit to China,“China and the United States should strengthen frequent and intimate high-level contacts. China is willing to work with the United States to push forward their cooperative partnership under the new situation ,so as to benefit the two peoples and world peace.

[Prev]Outdated capitalism　　[Next]New Year visit to Middle East