Chinese and foreign media interview CPAFFC President Lin for the 50th anniversary of Shanghai Communique

Liu Chang

O n Feb 28， 2022， a meeting commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Shanghai Communique was held in Shanghai’s Jinjiang Hotel， where the communique was issued in 1972. The activity was jointly organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries， the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs， the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and the China-US People’s Friendship Association.

After the meeting， Lin Songtian， president of the CPAFFC， was interviewed by journalists from CGTN， Dragon TV， Phoenix TV， China Daily， Global Times， The Paper， South China Morning Post and eastday.com. He shared his opinions on the significance of the commemorative meeting， the friendship between the Chinese and American people and people-to-people diplomacy.

Fifty years ago， Lin noted， leaders of China and the United States overcame differences in ideology， political systems and cultural values and jointly issued the Shanghai Communique， which laid down the basic principles and political foundation for the development and maintenance of China-US relations.

Given the current pandemic and international situation， it was of great significance to hold the meeting as scheduled. It aims to review history， pay tribute to the strategic vision and extraordinary political wisdom and courage of the leaders of China and the US and to express sincere thanks to people from all walks of life in both countries who have long been committed to China-US friendship and cooperation.

We look forward， Lin said， to drawing wisdom and inspiration from history. He called on US politicians and elites to demonstrate the wisdom， strategic vision and political courage of a major country and expressed hope that the American people would cherish the China-US friendship and the fruits of mutually beneficial cooperation to achieve win-win results and move forward together.

Lin said that people from all walks of life in China and the US attached great importance to the commemoration. Li Qiang， a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee， attended and addressed the opening ceremony. State Councilor Wang Yi delivered a keynote speech via video. More than 700 people from all walks of life in China and the US attended the event on site or online， including Dr. Henry Kissinger， former US secretary of state， and Jacob Lew， chairman of National Committee on US-China relations and former US treasury secretary.

In his speech via video. Wang noted that， guided by the spirit of the Shanghai Communique， China and the US have achieved major progress in their relations in a series of steps. He gave a comprehensive review of the communique， especially the Taiwan question and the one-China principle， explaining why the ice had thawed to remove barriers in China-US relations and how the relationship can forge ahead in the future.

Wang said three lessons could be drawn from the development of ChinaUS relations over the past 50 years： “By following the trend of the times， we can make the right strategic choices； by seeking common ground while reserving differences， we can attain peaceful co-existence between countries with different social systems； and by following the basic norms of international relations， we can build real guardrails for China-US relations.”

He put forward a four-point proposal on developing and maintaining China-US relations. First， he said， we must uphold the one-China principle and consolidate the political foundation of China-US relations. Second， we must respect each other and stick to the right direction for advancing ChinaUS relations. Third， we must pursue win-win cooperation and promote the development and prosperity of both countries. Fourth， we must shoulder responsibilities as major countries and provide the world with more public goods.

He urged the US to reinstate a reasonable and pragmatic China policy， and work with China to put into real actions the common understandings between the presidents， so as to put China-US relations back on the right track at an early date.

Lin said that the Shanghai Com- munique， issued 50 years ago， laid down the basic principle for developing China-US relations. That principle is to acknowledge and insist that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China， and that Taiwan is part of China. The one-China principle is the premise and political foundation for the development and maintenance of China-US relations， he said. It is a red line and a bottom line that is independent of man’s will. In the past， no one dared to overstep it， and now there is even less reason or conditions to overstep it.

The Shanghai Communique has set an example of seeking common ground while reserving differences and pursuing win-win cooperation in China-US relations. It has also provided a useful reference for handling ChinaUS relations today. As long as both sides abide by the spirit of the Shanghai Communique， there is no doubt that China and the US can find the right way to coexist with mutual respect， peace and win-win cooperation under new circumstances. They can continue to benefit the people of both countries and the world.

Recently， during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games， Chinese and American athletes gave blessings， took pictures， exchanged gifts and got along with each other， which brought a heartwarming scene to a cold ice rink. It was a reminder that the Chinese and American people have always been friendly to each other and share a common aspiration to live peaceful， harmonious and better lives. There is every reason for win-win cooperation and common development.

“The people are the beneficiaries，builders and promoters of state-to-state relations，” Lin said. “They should also be firm defenders of common interests. The friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the Chinese and American people have become a reality that no force or power can shake or change. This is the inexhaustible driving force and source of strength for advancing and developing China-US relations. I have full confidence in growing the friendship between the two peoples and promoting China-US relations.”

Lin introduced the glorious history， functions and characteristics of people-to-people diplomacy. He said that people-to-people diplomacy is an important foundational work through which official diplomacy， or state-tostate relations， can deliver tangible benefits to the people， enhance friendship and build consensus.

Friendship cities， media and think tanks and individual people are the main participants in people-to-people diplomacy. The CPAFFC is willing to uphold the principle and concept of telling stories with emotion and reason and promoting culture， morality and justice， Lin said. It will actively carry out friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with the peopleto-people bodies of other countries， enhance mutual understanding and affinity among peoples of different nations， promote win-win cooperation and common development and build the broadest international consensus for building a community with a shared future for mankind.