——纪念中美“乒乓外交”50周年
– In Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy
杨洁篪
Yang Jiechi
一
I
今年是中美“乒乓外交”50周年。1971年4月，参加在日本名古屋举行的第三十一届世界乒乓球锦标赛的美国乒乓球代表团应中国乒乓球代表团邀请访问中国。一年后，中国乒乓球队回访美国。访问期间，两支球队都受到彼此国家和人民的热烈欢迎与热情接待。中美“以小球转动大球”，融化了两国历时20多年相互隔绝的坚冰。
This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong diplomacy. In April 1971, the U.S. table tennis team, which was attending the 31st World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya, Japan, paid a visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese table tennis team. One year later, the Chinese team made a return visit to the United States. During the visits, both teams were warmly welcomed and received by each other’s country and people. The two sides enabled the little ball to move the big ball, thus thawing the ice of over two decades of estrangement between the two countries.
50年前，毛泽东主席、周恩来总理和尼克松总统、基辛格博士等中美两国老一辈领导人，从两国人民共同利益出发，以非凡的战略眼光和政治勇气，作出了重新开启两国交往大门的战略决策，亲自决策并推动实施了中美“乒乓外交”。1971年7月，基辛格博士秘密访华。1972年2月，尼克松总统访问中国，中美实现“跨越太平洋的握手”，翻开了两国关系的新篇章。
Back fifty years ago, the elder generation of Chinese and American leaders-Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai, President Richard Nixon and Dr. Henry Kissinger-acted in the common interests of the two peoples and demonstrated strategic vision and extraordinary political courage, with their strategic decision to reopen the door of exchanges between China and the United States. They were personally involved in the decision-making to bring about the Ping-Pong diplomacy. In July 1971, Dr. Kissinger paid a secret visit to China. In February 1972, President Nixon visited China. A “handshake that crossed the vast Pacific Ocean” was realized between China and the United States, which opened a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
二
II
50年来，中美关系历经风雨不断向前，取得历史性成就，不仅给两国和两国人民带来了实实在在的利益，也有力促进了世界的和平、稳定与繁荣。
Over the past five decades, China-U.S. relations have braved wind and rain and continued to move forward and score historic achievements. This has not only brought real benefits to the two countries and peoples but also contributed significantly to world peace, stability and prosperity.
建交以来，中美双边贸易额不断增长。尽管遭遇新冠疫情，去年两国货物贸易额逆势增长8.3%，达5800多亿美元。今年第一季度，中美贸易额同比增长61.3%。中美经贸合作长期是双向互惠的。
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-U.S. trade has kept growing on a steady basis. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, trade in goods grew by 8.3 percent last year to exceed US$580 billion. In the first quarter of this year, two-way trade surged by 61.3 percent over the same period of last year. Such trade and economic cooperation has served the mutual benefit of the two sides over the years.
中美携手推动达成气候变化《巴黎协定》，为全球气候变化合作提供重要动力。4月22日，习近平主席应拜登总统邀请出席“领导人气候峰会”并发表重要讲话，表示中方期待同包括美方在内的国际社会一道，共同为推进全球环境治理而努力。不久前，中美还在上海发表了《中美应对气候危机联合声明》。中美合力应对1997年亚洲金融危机和2008年国际金融危机，为维护国际金融稳定、促进世界经济复苏作出了重要贡献。中美在东帝汶开展粮食安全三方合作，在非洲联手抗击埃博拉疫情，双方在反恐、防扩散、禁毒、疾病防控、维和等领域开展了良好协调与配合，在中东等地区热点问题上保持沟通与协调。
China and the United States have joined forces for the conclusion of the Paris Agreement on climate change, lending important impetus to global climate cooperation. On 22 April, President Xi Jinping attended the Leaders Summit on Climate at the invitation of President Joe Biden and delivered important remarks. President Xi underlined that China looks forward to working with the international community including the United States to jointly advance global environmental governance. At an earlier date, the two sides also released a Joint Statement Addressing the Climate Crisis in Shanghai. China and the United States worked together in responding to the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 international financial crisis, making important contribution to international financial stability and world economic recovery. China and the United States have carried out trilateral cooperation on food security in Timor-Leste and jointly combated Ebola in Africa. The two sides have also coordinated effectively in such fields as counter-terrorism, nonproliferation, anti-narcotics, disease prevention and control and peacekeeping, and have maintained communication and coordination on the Middle East and other regional hotspot issues.
中国领导人亲自参与和推动中美民间往来。习近平主席多年来高度重视并亲自推动两国民间交往，同美国艾奥瓦州老朋友历时30余载的友谊、帮助年近8旬的加德纳女士完成其丈夫重游福建鼓岭遗愿的故事，广为传颂。
Chinese leaders have been involved on a personal basis in promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Over the years, President Xi Jinping has attached great importance to and been personally engaged in people-to-people interactions between the two sides. His 30-year long friendship with old friends in Iowa and his support to Elizabeth Gardner who, in her late 70s, fulfilled her late husband’s wish to revisit Guling in Fujian province, are all fondly remembered stories of China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges.
自1972年中美乒乓球队实现互访后，两国乒乓球界经常进行交流。2002年中国乒乓球队应邀访问芝加哥和洛杉矶，双方老中青三代运动员以球会友，续写“乒乓外交”情谊。中美在文化艺术交流、自然灾害应对等方面保持密切交流协作，在共同抗击新冠疫情中相互支持帮助。
Since the mutual visits between the two table tennis teams in 1972, Chinese and American table tennis players have engaged in frequent exchanges. In 2002, the Chinese table tennis team was invited to Chicago and Los Angeles, where three generations of table tennis players from both sides gathered to renew the friendship initiated by Ping-Pong diplomacy. The two sides have also enjoyed close exchanges and cooperation in the field of arts and culture and on natural disaster response, and have supported and assisted each other in addressing COVID-19.
中美已建立50对友好省州、232对友好城市。疫情期间，两国各界人士仍然频繁通过电话、书信、视频等多种方式保持着沟通交流。上述成果凝聚了中美两国几代人的心血，值得倍加珍惜。
There are now 50 pairs of sister provinces and states and 232 pairs of sister cities between the two countries. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, people across sectors in the two countries have maintained frequent contacts, through either phone calls, correspondence or video conferences. All these come as the result of long-term dedication and commitment by Chinese and American peoples through generations, and all must be cherished and taken good care of by both countries.