纪念尼克松访华40周年——在利益与冲突中发展前行的中美关系

China-U.S. Relationship Forges Ahead Amid Sharing of Interests and Avoidance of Conflict——In Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s Visit to China

中美关系自尼克松访华以来经历了多次跌宕起伏、反复曲折,但总体趋势是向前发展的。日益紧密联系和相互依存的经贸关系是推动中美关系积极发展的基础;不断增多的共同利益,谋求互利共赢的愿望成为维系中美关系向前发展的动力;而中美综合国力的消长使两国力量结构渐趋平衡,为双方平等对话、发展关系创造了条件。40年来美国对华定位的摇摆一直影响中美关系的发展方向和趋势,成为中美关系起伏曲折的主要原因,其中,中美社会制度和意识形态的差异是两国关系中具有对抗性的消极因素,而台湾问题则是影响中美关系向前发展的最大障碍。

Since the visit by President Nixon to China, China-U.S. relations have seen many ups and downs, twists and turns, but on the whole they tend to make improvement and progress. Closer links and mutually dependence in their economic and trade ties have provided the two countries with a sound basis for stimulating full development of those ties. Continuously growing common interests and a strong desire for a win-win outcome by the two sides generate the necessary motivation in fostering China-U.S. relations and pushing them forward. The rise and decline of comprehensive strengths of China and the U.S. have made their power structures becoming gradually balanced, creating the condition for holding dialogues between them on an equal footing and giving impetus to their bilateral ties. However, for the past 40 years or so, the main reason why China-U.S. relations have ebbed and flowed, is that the U.S. changes its calibration of China all the time, which readily influenced the course of events in those ties. Among them, differences in their social system and ideology may arise and prove to be a negative factor providing a source of confrontation between them. And the Taiwan Question remains to be the one of obstacle in the path of improvement of their mutual relations.