8. Remarks by Former President of the United States -Richard Nixon at the University of International Business and Economics

I made my first trip to China in 1972,Premier Zhou Enlai and I shook hands as I came off the airplane. And that handshake began a new 1) era in relations between China and the United States . And later he said to me ,”Your handshake came over the vastest distance in the world – twenty-five years of no communication.”

That vast distance is one we have now crossed . We have communication ,cooperation ,trade , exchanges.For example ,in 1972,there were no Americans as tourists in the P.R.C ; last year there were over 100,0000. In 1972,there were no students from the P.R.C studying in the United States ; last year there were over 12,000. In 1972,there was no trade between the two countries ; last year trade went over six billion dollars That’s an 2) indication of what has happened in just 13 short years.

In recent years , China has been working hard and creatively at 3) evolving a system that works for China at this period of its history and this stage of its development. The progress for example that China has made in just the 13 years since I was first here has greatly exceeded the 4) expectations , and they were fairly high , that I had at that time.

As I look ahead to the 21st century –to your century – I see one world. But the one world I see is not a world without differences between nations or peoples . Rather, it is one in which we all 5) recognize that we have profound differences and that we must learn to live with our differences rather than dying over them.

I see a world where the 6) honor of being called great is bestowed not on the world’s 7) warriors but on the world’s peacemakers.

8) And I see an open world , but not a world drab in its uniformity but one enriched by its diversity. I see an open world, a world of open cities , open skies , open minds and open hearts; 9) a world where our enemies are not other peoples but the common enemies of all mankind: poverty , hunger , misery , disease , and injustice wherever they may exist in the world.

Some will question my optimism. But of this one thing I am sure: 10) without cooperation between the Chinese people and the American people ,there is no chance that the 21st century in which you will live will be a century of peace and progress for all peoples.

This is what I hope for China .This is what I hope for the world . This is what I hope for you , the new generation of china ,whose task is to help to build and to meet those goals.