Honoring History | RUCNAAA and The Carter Center Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of U.S.-China Diplomatic Relations

On the 40th anniversary of the issuance of the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the United States, the RUC North America Alumni Association joined The Carter Center, founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, in hosting a commemorative event at The Carter Center’s headquarters in Atlanta on December 15, 2018, paying tribute to that historic moment and reflecting on its significance for the future.

The event brought together nearly 200 RUC alumni, members of the Chinese American community, and friends of China from Georgia, New York, Washington, D.C., California, Texas, Connecticut, Minnesota, Washington State, South Carolina, Florida, and mainland China. Distinguished speakers included He Yaomin, Vice President of Renmin University of China; Li Qiangmin, Consul General of China in Houston; and Robert Kapp, former President of the U.S.-China Business Council.

On December 15, 1978, the governments of China and the United States issued a Joint Communiqué announcing that the two countries would formally establish diplomatic relations on January 1, 1979. The decision marked the beginning of a new era. The following year, at the invitation of then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping made an official visit to the United States. During the visit, Deng Xiaoping and President Carter signed agreements on scientific and technological cooperation and cultural cooperation on behalf of their respective governments.

Over the following four decades, this bilateral relationship not only transformed China and the United States, but also had a profound impact on the world.

A Special Message from President Jimmy Carter

At 94 years old, former President Jimmy Carter made an exceptional gesture by sending a special congratulatory letter to the event.

In his letter, Carter wrote that It was very difficult to imagine that 40 years ago, elite Chinese universities like RUC could establish such active and robust alumni association in America. He encouraged RUC alumni to continue serving as a bridge between China and the United States and urged them to “do more in the coming years to make our bilateral relationship an anchor for global peace and prosperity.”

Opening Remarks

Yue Jingsheng, Chairman of the RUC North America Alumni Association, and Liu Yawei, Director of the China Program at The Carter Center, delivered welcoming remarks.

Yue said the event was an occasion for gratitude: gratitude for the historic decision 40 years earlier that changed the course of history, gratitude for The Carter Center’s comprehensive cooperation, and gratitude for the strong support of alumni and friends from all walks of life.

He said:

“I have a dream. I hope that future relations between China and the United States will be as sweet as the peaches of Georgia and as refreshing as Coca-Cola in Atlanta.”

Liu Yawei reflected on how friendly exchanges between China and the United States had influenced and enriched his own life and career. He emphasized the significance of the bilateral relationship for the two countries, their peoples, and the world as a whole, and expressed his hope that China and the United States could coexist harmoniously and work together to promote global peace and prosperity.

Remarks by Vice President He Yaomin

Vice President He Yaomin said the joint event between the RUC North America Alumni Association and The Carter Center was particularly meaningful.

“Having drunk from the water, we should never forget those who dug the well,” he said. At this important historical moment, he said, it was especially appropriate to pay tribute to Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter. Renmin University of China, he added, also hoped to make greater contributions to improving China-U.S. relations.

He noted that at a time when China-U.S. relations were facing challenges, “tolerance is water, and cooperation is the boat.” As 2018 marked both the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States and the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up, scholars and alumni of Renmin University should make their own voices heard and contribute to improving bilateral relations.

He recalled that 40 years earlier, China and the United States had faced significant difficulties, challenges, and pressures. The difficulties facing the two countries today, he said, likewise required both sides to demonstrate considerable goodwill in order to improve relations. This, he emphasized, was in the interest of the world, of development, and of the peoples of both countries.

In the presence of Vice President He Yaomin and Chairman Yue Jingsheng, Guo Haiying, Vice President of the RUC Alumni Association, presented an honorary certificate to Wu Yafeng, President of the RUC North America Alumni Association, congratulating the association on being named a “2018 Outstanding Alumni Organization” by Renmin University of China.

Remarks by Consul General Li Qiangmin

Li Qiangmin, Consul General of China in Houston, said that China, the United States, and the world as a whole had all benefited from the normalization of China-U.S. relations.

Whether in trade, people-to-people exchanges, cultural exchanges, or security cooperation, he noted, the relationship between the two countries had undergone profound changes over the previous 40 years.

“Forty years brings maturity and perspective,” Li said. It was time to look back at the history of China-U.S. relations and for both sides to view each other objectively and accurately.

He said China pursued peaceful development and did not seek to challenge or replace the United States. China’s principal challenge and task, he emphasized, was to improve the living standards of its people.

Li noted that the leaders of China and the United States had held a productive meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Argentina, while officials responsible for bilateral affairs were maintaining close communication. China had also begun taking measures to ease trade tensions.

He said the two countries now faced a shared opportunity: to preserve their economic relationship and create greater benefits for the peoples of both countries.

Robert Kapp: Creating Opportunities at Every Level

Dr. Robert Kapp, former President of the U.S.-China Business Council and Senior Advisor to The Carter Center’s China Program, is a longtime China expert whose engagement with China can be traced back to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Kapp recalled many memorable moments from his decades of engagement with China, speaking with deep appreciation for the country.

He said the two countries were facing many difficulties, and many Americans believed that there was little reason for excessive optimism about the future of China-U.S. relations.

While he considered decisions such as normalizing diplomatic relations and supporting China’s accession to the World Trade Organization to have been the right ones, he also stressed the need to think about how the bilateral relationship could create opportunities—not only at the level of national interests, but also for individuals and communities in both countries.

Such opportunities, he said, should extend across individuals, families, communities, businesses, and society as a whole.

Looking back over the past 40 years and beyond, Kapp said, it was clear that China’s development had not followed a linear path. He expressed confidence that China had the ability to adjust its course and pursue its interests through the right path.

Panel 1 | Politics and Diplomacy

Moderated by Liu Yawei, the “Politics and Diplomacy” panel brought together Mary Bullock, former Executive Vice Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University; David Helenniak, former Vice President at Morgan Stanley; Yinhong Shi, Professor at the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China; Dennis Lockhart, former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Khairy Tourk, Professor at Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology; and Jing Zhao, CEO of the Global Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation.

The panelists exchanged views on a broad range of topics, including China-U.S. educational exchanges, investment cooperation, political relations, monetary policy, economic policy, and corporate social responsibility.

Panel 2 | Trade and Investment

Dawson Lee, Council Member of the RUC North America Alumni Association and President of Benimax Investment Group, moderated the “Trade and Investment” panel.

Participants included Shanquan Li, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at OppenheimerFunds; Xiuju Luan, CEO of COFCO Coca-Cola Beverages Co., Ltd.; Patricia Buckley, Partner at Deloitte; Benjamin Shobert, Forbes contributor and author of Blaming China; Zhu Wang, attorney at Steptoe & Johnson LLP; and Qing Wu, Co-President of Jushi Group USA.

Drawing on their professional experience, the panelists discussed the impact of China-U.S. relations on financial investment, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, the development of multinational corporations in China, and the expansion of Chinese companies into the U.S. market.

The high-quality discussions generated strong interest among the audience, while the speakers’ engaging and often humorous presentations were met with frequent applause. Audience members actively participated and raised numerous questions.

At the dinner that followed, Major General Bernard Loeffke, U.S. Army (Ret.), and the first U.S. Defense Attaché to China, shared stories from his own experiences of U.S.-China exchanges.

Closing Remarks

The event concluded with remarks by Wu Yafeng, President of the RUC North America Alumni Association.

Wu expressed his gratitude to The Carter Center for its close cooperation, to the speakers for their insightful presentations, to the audience for their active participation, to the sponsors for their generous support, and to the volunteers for their selfless contributions.

“As beneficiaries and witnesses of China-U.S. exchanges, we all have many stories to tell,” Wu said. “Taken together, all of these stories form a profound history.”

Forty years ago, he noted, the two countries faced difficulties and challenges even greater than those confronting them today. Yet the leaders of both countries, through their wisdom, opened the door to a new era.

“Today,” he said, “I believe that with the collective wisdom of the peoples of both countries, we will find ways to overcome the difficulties we face for the time being and build a better tomorrow.”

Sponsors and Supporting Organizations

The event received sponsorship and support from Benimax Investment Group, Great Wall Supermarket, RunYuan Outdoor Group, Global Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation, Coca-Cola, China Economic Policy Research Center, China Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, Jushi Group, Atlanta International Education Group, Association of Chinese Professionals, Cornerstone Bank, HbaTL Investment, Xin Jin Fo Restaurant, and other companies and organizations.

The U.S. state-based associations of China and the Salomon Group also provided support for the event.