2008年12月16日晚，中国驻美国大使周文重夫妇在使馆新馆举行招待会，隆重庆祝中美建立外交关系30周年。正在美国访问的全国政协副主席董建华、美国财政部长鲍尔森、劳工部长赵小兰、贸易代表施瓦布、常务副国务卿内格罗蓬特，以及其他来自美国务院、财政部、商务部、国土安全部、国防部等行政部门官员和国会、工商、学术、新闻等各界友人、外国驻美使节以及世界银行等国际组织代表500多人出席。
周文重大使在致辞时首先代表中国政府和人民，向长期关心和支持中美关系发展的各界朋友表示衷心感谢，向当年为中美建交呕心沥血的两国老一辈领导人和有识之士表示崇高敬意。
周文重说，30年前的今天，中美两国政府同时发表《中美建交公报》，并于1979年1月1日正式建立外交关系，开启了两国关系的新纪元。30年来，中美关系取得了长足发展，已成为当今世界最重要、最富生机的双边关系之一。双方高层往来密切，两国领导人从几年难得谋面一次，发展到两国元首一年多次会晤并经常通话、通信。两国战略性对话从无到有，现在已建立起60多个对话磋商合作机制，特别是中美战略经济对话和战略对话为两国在涉及双方重大利益的战略性问题上加强对话与合作提供了重要平台。两国各领域合作越来越深入，双方已互为第二大贸易伙伴，双边贸易额由建交时的24亿美元发展到2007年的3000多亿美元，30年间增长了120多倍。两国民间交往方兴未艾，每天超过5000人往返太平洋两岸。双方在反恐、防扩散及一系列重大国际地区问题上的协调合作富有成效，使两国关系越来越具有战略影响和全球意义。中美两国从昔日的隔绝对立转变成现在的利益攸关方和建设性合作者，这是大势所趋，人心所向，也是两国几代领导人和各界有识之士共同努力的结果，来之不易，值得我们倍加珍惜。
周文重指出，中美关系30年的发展给我们留下了深刻启示和丰富经验。第一，中美都是世界上具有重要影响的大国，发展建设性合作关系有利于两国人民，也有利于世界和平、稳定与繁荣。第二，中美虽然社会制度和文化传统不同，但有着广泛的共同利益。中美两国是伙伴，不是对手，更不应是敌人。归根结底，只要双方牢牢把握两国关系建设性合作的大方向，致力于加强对话、交流与合作，切实尊重和照顾彼此核心利益和重大关切，妥善处理分歧和敏感问题，中美关系就一定能持续向前发展，更好地造福两国人民和世界人民。
周文重说，今年也是中国走上改革开放之路30周年。中国的30年改革开放与中美关系的30年发展成熟是同步的，中国的改革开放为中美关系的发展提供了动力和活力。中国的前途命运同世界的前途命运日益紧密地联系在一起，中国致力于以自己的发展促进地区和世界的共同发展。走和平发展道路是中国根据自己的国情作出的战略抉择，这符合中国的根本利益，也符合包括美国在内的国际社会的根本利益。中国过去、现在和将来都将始终是维护世界和平、促进共同发展的力量。
当前，中美关系进入承前启后的重要阶段。确保中美关系在未来几年甚至更长时期健康稳定发展是两国人民的共同心声和根本利益所在。中方愿与美方共同努力，坚持从战略高度和长远角度审视和处理中美关系，遵循中美三个联合公报原则，保持和加强高层和各级别交往，加强磋商和对话机制，增进战略互信，进一步扩大务实合作，不断开拓新的合作增长点，深化两国利益交融格局。
周文重最后表示，只要中美双方本着与时俱进的精神，牢牢把握两国建设性合作关系的大方向，就能走出一条世界上最大的发达国家和最大的发展中国家和谐相处、合作共赢的新型国家关系道路，迎来两国关系下一个30年新的辉煌。
鲍尔森、赵小兰、施瓦布、内格罗蓬特分别致辞。他们结合个人经历和体验，对建交30年来美中关系取得的巨大发展感到欣慰，对中国实行改革开放政策30年来取得的巨大成就表示由衷敬佩。他们表示，经过美中两国政府和人民30年的努力，双方关系不断前进，成为当今世界最重要的双边关系之一。今天美中两国拥有广泛的共同利益，各领域合作空前广泛，战略经济对话和战略对话等各种对话合作机制富有成效。美中关系取得的进展给两国人民带来了巨大福祉，为亚太地区和世界的和平与发展做出了重要贡献。相信在过去30年奠定的坚实基础上，美中关系在下一个30年的发展前景将更加美好。
国内派出的演艺小组在招待会上演出了精彩的文艺节目，受到与会人士热烈欢迎。
以下为讲话的英文稿：
Remarks by Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong At the Reception Marking the 30th Anniversary of China-US Diplomatic Relations
16 December 2008
Honorable Vice Chairman Tung Chee-hwa,
Honorable Secretary Henry Paulson,
Secretary Elaine Chao,
Ambassador Susan Schwab,
Deputy Secretary John Negroponte,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Today, we are gathered here to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. On behalf of the Chinese Government and people, I want to extend warm welcome to all of you, and express sincere appreciation to you, and to the friends who are not able to join us here, for your care and support over the years for the development of China-U.S. relations. I also want to pay my highest respect to the forefathers of our diplomatic relations – the leaders with vision and insight who will go down in history for their tremendous and painstaking efforts in bringing about the normalization of the relations between our two great countries.
On this very day three decades ago, the Governments of China and the United States issued the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, and a few days later, formally established diplomatic relations on January 1st, 1979. A new era in China-US relations thus began. Tremendous changes have taken place in the world since then, amidst which China-US relationship took a remarkable and breathtaking journey to what it is right now.
After three decades and enormous progress, we are having a completely different relationship from the old days – one of the most important and dynamic bilateral relationships in the world. Back then, our presidents hardly saw each other once in a few years. Now, they may meet several times a year and talk over the phone and exchange letters frequently.
Back then, our two countries were not engaged in dialogues on strategic issues. Now, there are over 60 dialogue, consultation and cooperation mechanisms between us, the most prominent being the Strategic Economic Dialogue and the Strategic Dialogue which set important stages for intensified discussion and cooperation on strategic issues involving our shared interests.
Back then, our trade was a mere 2.4 billion US dollars. Now, our two countries are each other’s second largest trading partner, with trade total growing 120 times and standing at over 300 billion in 2007.
Our cooperation is expanding into more and more fields and growing in greater depth. People-to-people exchanges are flourishing. Over 5,000 people travel from coast to coast over the Pacific every day. On major international and regional issues such as counterterrorism and non-proliferation, our coordination and cooperation have been fruitful, giving our bilateral relations an increasing strategic influence and global significance.
As if in a blink of an eye, China-US relationship has moved from estrangement and antagonism to responsible stakeholders and constructive partners. This is what the times entail and what our peoples desire. But it hasn’t been easy for our two countries to come so far. Generations of our leaders and numerous people from all walks of life have worked together and fought hard for this. It is now upon us to take really good care of this relationship.
History is a mirror. As we look back at what China-US relations have gone through, there are profound lessons and rich experience. First of all, China and the United States are both big countries with significant influence in the world. Developing a constructive and cooperative relationship serves the interests of our peoples and works for world peace, stability and prosperity. Second, China and the United States have extensive common interests despite the different social systems and cultural heritages. We are partners, not rivals, still less enemies. In the final analysis, it is up to our two sides to steer our relationship clearly and firmly in the direction of constructive cooperation, stay committed to closer dialogues, cooperation and exchanges, respect and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns in real action and handle the differences and sensitive issues appropriately. This will help ensure that China-US relations will continue to make progress to the greater benefit of our peoples and the people throughout the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year is also the 30th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up, which has moved along in step with the development and maturing of China-US relations and helped drive China-US relationship forward and provide it with continuous dynamism. In these three decades, the people of China emancipated the mind and adopted a down-to-earth attitude. We firmly followed and carried out the reform and opening-up policy, which greatly unleashed the productive forces, made tremendous economic and social development possible and led to profound changes in the outlook of China.
The countries of the world are more interdependent than ever. China sees its future as increasingly and closely associated with that of the world. We are committed to promoting common regional and global development by way of developing our own country. We call this peaceful development. It is a strategic choice based on our national condition. It serves the fundamental interests of not only China but also the international community including the United States. China has been and will continue to be a staunch force safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are in an important transition for China-US relations. It is crucial to always bear in mind that development is a constant in China-US relations, and that sound and steady development of China-US relations in the coming years and beyond is the shared aspiration of the peoples of our two countries and where their fundamental interests lie. We are ready to work together with the US side to approach our bilateral relationship from the strategic and long-term perspective, abide by the principles of the three Joint Communiqués, maintain and intensify contacts at the high and various other levels, strengthen the consultation and dialogue mechanisms, enhance mutual strategic trust, further expand and continue to explore new areas of cooperation, and solidify the structure of our interwoven interests.
There is reason to believe that as long as we both keep our minds abreast with the times and keep to the overall interests of constructive cooperation, we will be able to build a new type of state-to-state relationship featuring harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation between the biggest developed country and the biggest developing country in the world. The next 30 years will be even more splendid for Chian-US relationship.
Now, may I propose a toast,
To the 30th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations,
To the friendship and cooperation between China and the U.S., and between our two peoples, and
To the health of each and everyone present here!