Today, we look out on the horizon of a new century. And as we launch this dialogue, it is important for us to reflect upon the questions that will shape the 21st century. Will growth be stalled by events like our current crisis, or will we cooperate to create balanced and sustainable growth, lifting more people out of poverty and creating a broader prosperity? Will the need for energy breed competition and climate change, or will we build partnerships to produce clean power and to protect our planet? Will nuclear weapons spread unchecked, or will we forge a new consensus to use this power for only peaceful purposes?

Will extremists be able to stir conflict and division, or will we unite on behalf of our shared security? Will nations and peoples define themselves solely by their differences, or can we find the common ground necessary to meet our common challenges, and to respect the dignity of every human being?

We cannot predict with certainty what the future will bring, but we can be certain about the issues that will define our times. And we also know this: the relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century, which makes it as important as any bilateral relationship in the world. That reality must underpin our partnership. That is the responsibility we bear.

As we look to the future, we can learn from our past for history shows us that both our nations benefit from engagement that is grounded in mutual interests and mutual respect. During my time in office, we will mark the 40th anniversary of President Nixon's trip to China. At that time, the world was much different than it is today. America had fought three wars in East Asia in just thirty years, and the Cold War was in a stalemate. China's economy was cut off from the world, and a huge percentage of the Chinese people lived in extreme poverty.

今天，我們展望一個新世紀(jì)的地平線。在我們啟動這次對話時，我們需要思考一下那些將塑造21世紀(jì)的問題。與目前的危機類似的情況會讓經(jīng)濟增長陷入停滯嗎？我們會通過合作創(chuàng)造出平衡和可持續(xù)的增長，讓更多人擺脫貧困并創(chuàng)造更普遍的繁榮嗎？對能源的需求是會帶來競爭和氣候變化，還是我們會發(fā)展合作關(guān)系，來生產(chǎn)清潔能源保護我們的地球？我們是讓核武器毫無節(jié)制地擴散，還是達成新的共識，只將核能用于和平目的？極端分子會挑起沖突和分裂嗎？還是我們?yōu)榱斯餐陌踩鴪F結(jié)一致？國家和人民會完全按照彼此間的分歧而定義自己？還是我們能夠找到必要的共同點，迎接我們共同的挑戰(zhàn)，并尊重每個人的尊嚴(yán)？

我們不能確切地預(yù)測到未來將會如何，但我們能夠確定的是哪些問題將決定我們的時代。我們也都知道：美國與中國的關(guān)系將塑造21世紀(jì)，它的重要性不遜于世界上的任何雙邊關(guān)系。這一現(xiàn)實必須支撐我們的合作伙伴關(guān)系。這是我們擔(dān)負(fù)的責(zé)任。

面向未來，我們可以從過去學(xué)到很多，歷史讓我們看到，我們兩國都從基于共同利益和相互尊重的交往中受益頗豐。在我的任期內(nèi)，我們將紀(jì)念尼克松總統(tǒng)訪華40周年。當(dāng)時的世界與今天有很大的不同。美國在短短30年的時間里就在東亞打了三場戰(zhàn)爭，冷戰(zhàn)陷入了僵局。中國經(jīng)濟被隔離于世界之外，很大一部分中國人生活在極其貧窮的狀態(tài)中。

Back then, our dialogue was guided by a narrow focus on our shared rivalry with the Soviet Union. Today, we have a comprehensive relationship that reflects the deepening ties among our people. Our countries have now shared relations for longer than we were estranged. Our people interact in so many ways. And I believe that we are poised to make steady progress on some of the most important issues of our times.

My confidence is rooted in the fact that the United States and China share mutual interests. If we advance those interests through cooperation, our people will benefit, and the world will be better off because our ability to partner with each other is a prerequisite for progress on many of the most pressing global challenges.

First, we can cooperate to advance our mutual interest in a lasting economic recovery. The current crisis has made it clear that the choices made within our borders reverberate across the global economy and this is true not just of New York and Seattle, but Shanghai and Shenzhen as well. That is why we must remain committed to strong bilateral and multilateral coordination. And that is the example we have set by acting aggressively to restore growth, prevent a deeper recession and save jobs for our people.

當(dāng)時，指引中美間對話的力量僅僅是兩國與蘇聯(lián)都存在對抗關(guān)系。今天，美中建立了全面關(guān)系，反映出兩國人民之間不斷加深的聯(lián)系。美中兩國現(xiàn)在相互聯(lián)系的時間比過去疏遠的時間還要長。兩國人民以各種各樣的方式進行交流。我相信，我們有望在這個時代最重要的一些問題上取得穩(wěn)步進展。

我的信心植根于美中兩國有著共同利益這一事實。如果雙方通過合作推進這些共同利益，兩國人民將會受益，世界將變得更美好──這是因為我們相互合作的能力是在很多最為緊迫的全球挑戰(zhàn)上取得進展的前提條件。

首先，我們可以合作在一場持久的經(jīng)濟復(fù)蘇中發(fā)展雙方的共同利益。目前這場危機明確顯示出，各國在國內(nèi)做出的決定會在全球經(jīng)濟中造成影響。不僅在紐約和西雅圖如此，在上海和深圳也是如此。正因為這樣，我們必須繼續(xù)致力于強有力的雙邊和多邊協(xié)作。通過采取積極措施恢復(fù)增長、防止衰退加深、挽救民眾的就業(yè)崗位，我們樹立了這樣一個榜樣。