CULTURAL BOND: A U.S. college student learns Chinese calligraphy in Beijing in June 2008. social and cultural exchanges contribute to advancing the strategic relationship between China and the United States

We are now in early spring. There is an old Chinese saying that goes, "A year's success starts from work in spring." It means that plowing and sowing in spring is crucial to agricultural production and the harvest for the whole year.

The most important purpose of my visit is to make preparations for the meeting between President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama in London in early April. Yesterday, I had a good discussion with both Secretary Clinton and Secretary Geithner. We covered a wide range of issues, including the bilateral agenda and regional and international affairs, and reached much consensus. Both sides agree that solid groundwork has already been laid by the two sides for the very important London meeting between our two heads of state. Today I will have the honor of meeting President Obama and Vice President Biden. I will also see National Security Adviser General Jones. Let me say that the two sides share the view that the upcoming meeting between our two presidents in London is of great significance for China-U.S. relations in the new era. Both sides are committed to pushing forward the vitally important relationship between our two countries.

Early this year, our two countries held big celebrations of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations. I attended these commemorative events with many old and new friends. A review of the past gives me a lot of food for thought. The tremendous progress of China-U.S. relations goes well beyond what those who were most optimistic about this relationship 30 years ago ever expected. People want to know, in the 21st century when mankind faces major opportunities and challenges, what is the strategic foundation of China-U.S. relations. This is a question I often ask myself as well.

I for one believe the strategic foundation of China-U.S. relations lies in our major and unique responsibility of maintaining world peace and stability. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and as the world's largest developing country and largest developed one, respectively, China and the United States have maintained close consultation, coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation in many international affairs. We have worked together to manage complicated and tough regional hotspot issues, fight terrorism, proliferation and transnational crime, meet global challenges such as climate change, energy and the environment and undertake necessary reform in the international system based on justice and equity. One can hardly find an area where China-U.S. cooperation is not needed. Comprehensive cooperation in the global sphere has tied our two countries and peoples to each other.

I for one believe the strategic foundation of China-U.S. relations lies in our ever-expanding common interests in promoting sustainable economic development in the world. We live in a world where countries are more interdependent and their interests more closely interconnected than at any time in history. At a time when the international financial crisis continues to spread and develop, the primary common interests of China and the United States is to weather the storm together like passengers in the same boat and support each other to get through the tough times and emerge from the crisis victorious. We should make due contributions to bringing about a new round of world economic growth. Even when the train of the world economy returns to fairly smooth areas one day, there will still be the need for China and the United States, the two big engines, to jointly push it forward on a continuous basis.

"The development of China-U.S. relations has proven time and again that China and the United States are partners for cooperation, not adversaries or enemies."--Yang Jiechi, Chinese Foreign Minister

I for one believe the strategic foundation of China-U.S. relations lies in the longstanding friendship and mutual learning between our peoples. They cherish a keen interest in each other's diverse culture and a strong wish to know each other better. Social and cultural exchanges between our two countries are becoming increasingly dynamic and intensive. The geographical distance of 10-plus hours' flight has not stood in the way of interflow between the Chinese and Americans. Each day, more than 5,000 people travel between the two sides of the Pacific Ocean. Ever-closer exchanges and interaction between the people of our two countries contain enormous energy and have far-reaching impact. They will make people better appreciate the fact that the world is a diverse place, human civilizations are colorful and all countries should live in harmony.