Integration of Party Diplomacy, Ping-pong Diplomacy and Tea Talk Diplomacy —A Record of the 11th China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue
—A RECORD OF THE 11TH CHINA-U.S. POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS DIALOGUE
It was an early winter, and golden leaves of ginkgo had piled up by the riverbanks of Kunyu. Inside the building of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), the atmosphere was exciting. Around 50 political leaders, think-tank scholars and entrepreneurs were here for the 11th China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue, an event themed with “Political Parties and China-U.S. Relations”, to exchange their ideas and seek consensus.
Perhaps one could first look back on what happened 10 years ago. In April 2010, Xi Jinping, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vicepresident of China, met at the Great Hall of the People with Democratic and Republican Party members who came to China for the 1st China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue, opening a new chapter of party-to-party exchanges between China and the U.S.. After 10 years of cultivation, the China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue has ushered into a new era. Song Tao, Minister of the IDCPC attended the opening session and made a keynote speech. There were also speeches made by such American participants as Gary Locke, former Secretary of Commerce, and Alphonso Jackson, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Political Guidance: Steering the Course for the Future
“The China-U.S. relationship, through ups and downs, has Made historic achievements, but is also faced with new challenges.” In his speech, Minister Song Tao pointed out that the reason why China-U.S. relations are moving forward despite 40 years of weal and woe is that political parties and political leaders of both countries are always visionary and willing to shoulder their historic responsibility. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed, cooperation between China and the U.S. will benefit both countries, whereas conflicts will only harm the two. Political parties and political leaders of China and the U.S. should, based on the consensus reached between both state leaders, keep abreast of the trend of the times, and guide the two countries toward cooperation instead of confrontation; follow national interests, and promote ChinaU.S. integration rather than pursuing decoupling; respond to people’s needs, increase exchanges instead of misunderstanding between the two countries.
Minister Song Tao’s speech was warmly received by American participants. Gary Locke, a Democrat participant, observed that despite some difficulties occurring in the U.S.-China relations, the U.S. has always believed that prosperity in both China and the U.S. will benefit the two countries. China boasts the largest middle-class market in the world, whereas increased purchasing power of the U.S. will prompt economic growth and create jobs in China, therefore a sound U.S.China relationship will be conducive to the whole world, said Locke. Alphonso Jackson, a Republican participant, said that political parties and leaders of the U.S. and China should step up win-win cooperation and properly address their differences so as to promote people’s welfare. He hoped that the two countries could end their trade frictions at an early date so that the foundation of long-term U.S.-China relations will not be damaged.
Candid Communication: Enhancing Mutual Understanding and Mutual Trust
Mutual trust is the cornerstone of cooperation, and communication is the source of mutual trust. At a dialogue hosted by Guo Yezhou, Vice-Minister of the IDCPC, Chinese and American participants carried out a candid and in-depth talk on their parties’ governance philosophy and strategies for the future, diplomacy approaches of their own country, and the future China-U.S. relationship.
The Chinese participants briefed on the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era on the basis of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. They also introduced China’s development achievements, new measures for reform and opening-up, and major tasks for future development by briefing on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the second China International Import Expo. For their part, the American participants expressed their views on a series of issues including the U.S. economy and 2020 presidential election. In addition, participants of both countries elaborated on ways to balance national governance and international governance, and measures to increase mutual trust so as to advance a China-U.S. relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability. Participants of the two sides were frank about their differences, and there were debates during discussions, yet everyone was sincere and friendly. Both the Chinese and American participants believed that China and the U.S. should maintain communication, manage differences, enhance cooperation within the framework of multilateral mechanisms, and jointly promote reforms of the global governance system.
Robert Holden, former governor of Missouri, said that this dialogue was the most open and helpful among all the dialogues he had attended. There are still many in America who support a peaceful and stable U.S.-China relationship. The two countries should spend more energy on establishing sister cities, sending exchange students, and encouraging business visits, so as to lay a solid foundation for the future of ChinaU.S. ties, said Holden.
The discussions were heated but candid. Catchwords such as openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win pooled consensus and helped to accumulate synergy.
Stories Sharing, Ping-pong and Calligraphy Experiencing: Drawing Hearts Closer
In addition to formal meetings with a black-tie dress code, there were also carefully-designed and innovative inter
action activities. One was a story-sharing event named “informal remarks: 40 years in China-U.S. diplomatic relations”, which was hosted at noon. Speakers, who have had personally experienced and witnessed the development of China-U.S. relations, movingly told stories of themselves. Gary Locke recalled with emotion how his family worked its way up in America, and how he witnessed the dramatic transformations in China during the same period. The “glass tycoon” Cho Tak Wong, chairman of Fuyao Group, quietly revealed previously unknown stories behind the documentary American Factory in his south-Fujian accent. Hearing Cho’s stories, American participants were deeply touched by the growing of Fuyao Glass Factory in Ohio, as well as the entrepreneurship of and cooperation between its Chinese and American workers.
After story-sharing, here came the more relaxing ping-pong and calligraphy experiencing. Nearly 50 years ago, the small ball of ping-pong gave a big push to the big ball of China-U.S. relations and opened the door for China-U.S. relations. Today, ping-pong diplomacy became the bridge between political parties of China and America. At first, American participants were a little bit shy, but gradually they were moved by the exciting atmosphere. They took off their coats and rolled up their sleeves, took up ping-pong bats and began to enjoy the back-and-forth with their Chinese counterparts. On the other side of the room, several IDCPC staffers, who were also big fans of calligraphy, were writing Chinese characters in ink, attracting many an American participant. With different moves of the calligraphy brushes, several big Chinese characters, meaning “unity without uniformity” “co-exist in a harmonious way” and “win-win cooperation”, came into being. Seeing these characters, which were firm in shape and significant in meaning, the American participants gave heartfelt compliments, joined the Chinese calligraphers and experienced for themselves the unique charm of Chinese calligraphy.
One hour was not long enough for everyone to share their stories, nor was it long enough for participants to fully enjoy themselves in ping-pong or calligraphy, but it did draw the hearts closer, and did open new windows for dialogue and communication.
Tea Tasting and Friends Making: Grasping the Moment to Jointly Create the Future
As sunset sank in and road lights were lit, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, surrounded by its green lake and shady trees, looked all the more tranquil and elegant. It is a place with historic meaning for China-U.S. relations, for it has witnessed the secret visit of Dr. Henry Kissinger, former secretary of state of the U.S., and received Richard Nixon, former American president whose state visit officially launched China-U.S. relations. At this moment, Diaoyutai was quietly waiting for Chinese and American participants to attend the welcome banquet of the 11th China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue.
At 6 o’clock in the evening, Minister Song Tao and American participants sat down in the ancient-style and exquisite meeting hall, and started their dialogue over tea. The pleasant smell of tea was lingering, so was the music played by guzheng (a Chinese zither). Three famous types of tea produced in Fujian Province were served, leaving palatable taste and long-lasting fragrance for guests. Nearby a guzheng was played, offering both Chinese classical music like High Mountain and Flowing Water and ambient American folk songs like Take Me Home, Country Roads. The two genres were integrated unexpectedly yet naturally, generating a harmonious and coherent mix. In a sincere and friendly atmosphere, the two sides carried out a candid discussion on a range of topics including Chinese and American culture and history. The American friends, having travelled to China from afar, keenly felt the significance of Chinese people’s way of making friends over tea.
After the tea talk, the banquet officially started. In his remarks, Minister Song Tao said that since the China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue was established 10 years ago, political leaders of both countries have been carrying out candid and in-depth communication on topics of mutual interest, which has boosted mutual understanding and trust, and played a unique role in China-U.S. relations. At present, the world is faced with great changes unseen in a century, and China-U.S. relationship is at a critical crossroad. Against such a backdrop, it is all the more important that China and America draw lessons from history, and climb high to look far. The two countries should enhance communication, maintain cooperation and avoid confrontation, so as to create an even more bright future for China-U.S. relations. Song’s words were received by warm applause by both Chinese and American participants. William J. Parker III, Chief Operating Officer of the EastWest Institute, said that during this Dialogue, political leaders of both sides have increased mutual understanding and trust through candid discussions, which will help U.S.-China relationship to move forward towards the correct direction.
Enhancing Mutual Understanding from a Historical Perspective and through Comparison of Civilizations
With the morning sun beaming down, the Great Hall of the People looked magnificent and solemn. On the morning of December 20, 2019,Wang Qishan, Vice President of China, met here with the delegation of U.S. Republican Party and Democratic Party that attended the 11th China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue.
Wang Qishan said, the China-U.S. relationship, since it was established, has been moving forward despite ups and downs, and now is attracting close attention of the whole world. To build a China-U.S. relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability, there should be more communication and exchanges at various levels between political parties, think-tanks, business communities and peoples. Therefore, it is necessary that political leaders of the
two countries increase their knowledge and understanding of the world, of each other’s history and reality, from a wider historical perspective and through comparison of the eastern and western civilizations. We hope that the China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue will make a further contribution to this cause.
American participants including Gary Locke and Jackson replied that a stable and developing U.S.-China relationship benefits the two peoples, representatives of both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party stand ready to play a positive role, carry out active and candid dialogue with their Chinese counterparts, and jointly find ways to properly address frictions and differences, in order to further promote the U.S.-China relationship.
Jointly Promote a China-U.S. Relationship Based on Coordination, Cooperation and Stability
On the morning of December 21, 2019, Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, met in Zhongnanhai with the delegation of U.S. Republican Party and Democratic Party that attended the 11th China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue.
Yang Jiechi said that China-U.S. relationship is at a crucial stage, therefore it is important for political parties in the two countries to enhance dialogue and exchanges. He hoped that the political leaders could make good use of the Dialogue, increase communication and mutual understanding, so as to jointly promote the China-U.S. relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability. The American delegates said that despite different political views between the Republicans and Democrats, members of the delegation all hope that the U.S.-China relationship can overcome difficulties and move forward, and they are all willing to work with their Chinese counterparts to bring U.S.China relations back on the right track.
For 10 years, the China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue has been making progress, with its participants more and more representative, and its breadth and depth ever increasing. Indeed, this Dialogue has played a positive role in advancing China-U.S. relations. The decade-long trip of the China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue is also a perfect footnote to demonstrate that China-U.S. relationship is always forging ahead despite various challenges. Let’s look forward to another new chapter in the next decade of the China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue. Let’s welcome the concerted efforts of political parties and political leaders of China and America, which will help China-U.S. relationship keep moving forward!