By Hu Junyan

胡君颜

The Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing welcomed a special guest on July 20.

7月20日，北京，钓鱼台国宾馆迎来了一位特殊的客人。

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, calling the centenarian an old friend and appreciating his historic contributions to promoting the growth of China-US relations and enhancing friendship between the two peoples. Kissinger replied that the bilateral relations are vital for both countries and for world peace and prosperity, and he wishes to continue making efforts to promote mutual understanding between the two peoples.

当天，中国国家主席习近平在这里会见了美国前国务卿基辛格。习主席以“老朋友”称呼这位百岁老人，赞赏他为推动中美关系发展、增进中美两国人民友谊作出的历史性贡献。基辛格表示，美中关系对于美中两国和世界的和平繁荣至关重要，愿继续为增进美中两国人民相互理解作出努力。

Fifty-two years ago, Kissinger, as special envoy and National Security adviser to then US President Richard Nixon, met with Chinese leaders also in July and also at the State Guesthouse, where they jointly set in motion the process of normalization of bilateral ties. That was regarded as a highlight in Kissinger's diplomatic career. Now the veteran diplomat, who has recently celebrated his 100th birthday and has visited China more than 100 times over the years, is still playing an active role in promoting China-US communication and dialogue, thus winning the world's respect for his enduring wisdom and vision.

52年前，同样是7月，同样在这个地点，基辛格作为时任美国总统尼克松的国家安全事务助理和特使，同中国老一辈领导人会面，开启了中美关系正常化进程。这被视为基辛格外交生涯的重要时刻。目前，他到中国已经超过一百次，年逾百岁仍活跃在推动中美沟通对话的一线。这“两个一百”足以赢得世人敬重。

In America's political world, Kissinger represents the pragmatic faction that advocates dialogue and engagement with China while properly handling disputes, and that is able to draw up rational and constructive China policies to truly protect American interests. A quick look back on the establishment of bilateral ties between the two countries easily shows that whenever the voice for cooperation with China prevails in Washington, the bilateral relationship would proceed smoothly, otherwise it would encounter headwinds.

在美国政界，基辛格代表着主张与中国对话接触、妥善处理分歧的务实派力量。这支力量能够从真正维护美国利益的实际出发，制定理性且有建设性的对华政策。事实上，回顾中美建交历程不难发现，每当华盛顿对华合作声音占上风时，中美关系发展就会总体顺畅。反之，就要经历风浪考验。

Now the China-US ties are at a new crossroads. A review of news releases covering Kissinger's meetings with Chinese leaders and officials in the past five years reveals some of his frequently used keywords – understanding, dialogue, communication, and management and control of disputes. A simple comparison between his pragmatic and rational diplomatic thinking and Washington's current China policy can show the world clearly where the crux of the China-US relationship lies.

当前，中美关系再次来到十字路口。查阅基辛格过去五年与中国领导人、官员会面的新闻稿，会发现他发言的关键词十分集中——理解、对话、沟通、管控分歧。如果将基辛格务实理性的外交思维，与美国政府对华政策做个对比，外界会更加清晰地看到中美关系的症结所在。

A catchphrase repeated by some American politicians is that China is completely different from the US in the development road, political system, and values, which is regarded by them as a good reason to antagonize and suppress China. The problem is, these differences are nothing new – they have been there all along. Even when the Cold War was at its peak, the two countries were able to stun the world by breaking the ice of more than 20 years isolation and having a handshake across the Pacific Ocean. Why? Other than the background of the times, a more important reason is that both Chinese and American leaders then realized that thawing hostility with friendliness is not only beneficial to themselves, but also to the world in general. Bearing this in mind, leaders of both countries, with extraordinary strategic wisdom, vision and courage, took a historic step forward transcending ideological differences.

美国有些政客经常挂在嘴边的一句话是，中国的发展道路、政治制度、价值观念与美国截然不同，并把这些作为敌视与打压中国的根据。但问题是，这种差异不是现在才有的。在冷战高峰的历史背景下，中美打破20多年相互隔绝的坚冰，实现“跨越太平洋的握手”，轰动了世界。为什么当时能做到？这既是时与势促成的，更关键的原因在于，中美领导人都认识到，中美化敌为友，不仅有利于彼此，也会造福世界。于是，双方以非凡的战略智慧、远见和勇气，超越意识形态分歧，迈出了历史性一步。

Fifty-two years have passed. Today the international situation has changed, and so does the balance of power between China and the US, but the underlying principle that both sides stand to benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation has not, the idea that China-US cooperation is conducive to world peace and stability has not, and the fact that China has maintained a highly consistent US policy has not.

52年后的今天，虽然国际形势变了，中美实力对比也发生了变化，但中美合则两利、斗则俱伤的逻辑没有变；中美合作有利于世界和平稳定的逻辑没有变；中国对美政策保持高度连续性，这一点也没有变。

In his previous phone conversation and meeting with US President Joe Biden and the latest meeting with Kissinger, Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeated several times that to push the bilateral relationship forward, the key lies in abiding by the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence, and win-win cooperation. This is the best summary of past experience of China-US engagement and the right way to get along with each other in the new era.

无论在此前同拜登总统通话或者会面，还是这次会见基辛格，中国国家主席习近平多次指出，推动中美关系稳步向前，关键是遵循相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢三项原则。这是对中美过去交往经验的总结，也是新时期中美两国正确相处之道。

Having personally participated in the engagement and negotiation between the two countries, Kissinger is fully aware that the Taiwan question is the most important, most sensitive issue at the heart of the bilateral relationship. During the meeting, he told President Xi that it is important to abide by the principles set out in the Shanghai Communique and understand the utmost importance of the one-China principle for China. Those American politicians that are bent on playing with fire on the Taiwan question should  listen to his wise words.

作为中美接触、谈判的亲历者，基辛格先生尤其清楚台湾问题是中美关系最重要、最敏感的核心问题。这次来中国，他对习主席表示，应该遵守“上海公报”确定的原则，要理解一个中国原则对于中国的极端重要性。那些在台湾上不断“玩火”的美国政客，应该听听这位世纪老人的劝诫。

The Chinese believe in gaining new insights by reviewing past experience. The past 52 years have seen China and the US accomplishing a series of feats beneficial to the two countries and the broader world – through cooperation. Today, American decision-makers must try to answer the following questions by looking back through history – how should they view China? How should they get along with China to truly serve America's national interests? When they have thought them through, their engagement with China wouldn't stop at crisis control. The future of China-US relations depends on the decisions made today and on learning lessons from the past. To properly handle this issue, Washington is in urgent need of Kissinger's diplomatic wisdom.

中国人常说，“温故而知新”。过去52年，中美合作办成了一件又一件有利于两国和世界的大事。今天，美国的决策层需要从历史中寻找答案：究竟怎样看待中国、如何与中国相处，才真正符合美国的国家利益？想清楚了这些根本问题，美方寻求对华接触就不会止步于管控危机。中美关系的未来，取决于今天的选择，离不开对历史经验的吸收。做好中美关系这道“必答题”，美方需要基辛格式外交智慧。

Editor's note: Originally published on news.cri.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.