former Secretary of State Kissinger of the United States

On July 20, President Xi Jinping met with former Secretary of State Kissinger of the United States at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

On July 20, President Xi Jinping met with former Secretary of State Kissinger of the United States at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Photographed by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Jingwen

President Xi Jinping pointed out that Dr. Kissinger has just celebrated his 100th birthday and you have visited China more than a hundred times. The combination of these two "hundreds" makes your visit to China of special significance. 52 years ago, China and the United States were at a critical turning point. With outstanding strategic vision, President Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai, President Nixon, and yourself made the right choice for China and the United States cooperation, initiating the process of normalization of China and the United States relations, benefiting both countries and changing the world. Chinese people attach great importance to friendship. We will not forget our old friends and your historic contributions to promoting the development of China and the United States relations and enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

President Xi Jinping emphasized that the world is currently undergoing a major change that has not been seen in a century, and the international landscape is undergoing significant changes. China and the United States are once again at a crossroads of where to go and need both sides to make a choice once again. Looking forward to the future, China and the United States can achieve mutual success and common prosperity, and the key is to adhere to the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. On this basis, China is willing to explore with the United States the correct way for the two countries to get along and promote steady progress in China and the United States relations, which is beneficial for both sides and will also benefit the world. I hope that you and visionary Americans can continue to play a constructive role in pushing China and the United States relations back on the right track.

Kissinger expressed his gratitude to President Xi Jinping for choosing to meet me in Building 5 of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where I visited China for the first time to meet with Chinese leaders. The US China relationship is crucial for the peace and prosperity of the two countries and the world. In the current situation, we should adhere to the principles established in the Shanghai Communique, understand the extreme importance of the One China principle for China, and promote the development of US China relations in a positive direction. I am willing to continue to make efforts to enhance mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and China.

Wang Yi attended the meeting.