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，我们展望一个新世纪的地平线。在我们启动这次对话时，我们需要思考一下那些将塑造21世纪的问题。与目前的危机类似的情况会让经济增长陷入停滞吗？我们会通过合作创造出平衡和可持续的增长，让更多人摆脱贫困并创造更普遍的繁荣吗？对能源的需求是会带来竞争和气候变化，还是我们会发展合作关系，来生产清洁能源保护我们的地球？我们是让核武器毫无节制地扩散，还是达成新的共识，只将核能用于和平目的？极端分子会挑起冲突和分裂吗？还是我们为了共同的安全而团结一致？国家和人民会完全按照彼此间的分歧而定义自己？还是我们能够找到必要的共同点，迎接我们共同的挑战，并尊重每个人的尊严？

我们不能确切地预测到未来将会如何，但我们能够确定的是哪些问题将决定我们的时代。我们也都知道：美国与中国的关系将塑造21世纪，它的重要性不逊于世界上的任何双边关系。这一现实必须支撑我们的合作伙伴关系。这是我们担负的责任。

面向未来，我们可以从过去学到很多，历史让我们看到，我们两国都从基于共同利益和相互尊重的交往中受益颇丰。在我的任期内，我们将纪念尼克松总统访华40周年。当时的世界与今天有很大的不同。美国在短短30年的时间里就在东亚打了三场战争，冷战陷入了僵局。中国经济被隔离于世界之外，很大一部分中国人生活在极其贫穷的状态中。

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.

当时，指引中美间对话的力量仅仅是两国与苏联都存在对抗关系。今天，美中建立了全面关系，反映出两国人民之间不断加深的联系。美中两国现在相互联系的时间比过去疏远的时间还要长。两国人民以各种各样的方式进行交流。我相信，我们有望在这个时代最重要的一些问题上取得稳步进展。

我的信心植根于美中两国有着共同利益这一事实。如果双方通过合作推进这些共同利益，两国人民将会受益，世界将变得更美好──这是因为我们相互合作的能力是在很多最为紧迫的全球挑战上取得进展的前提条件。

首先，我们可以合作在一场持久的经济复苏中发展双方的共同利益。目前这场危机明确显示出，各国在国内做出的决定会在全球经济中造成影响。不仅在纽约和西雅图如此，在上海和深圳也是如此。正因为这样，我们必须继续致力于强有力的双边和多边协作。通过采取积极措施恢复增长、防止衰退加深、挽救民众的就业岗位，我们树立了这样一个榜样。