Letter of Congratulations from President George
W. Bush to President Hu Jintao on the occasion
of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations


President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao at the APEC Summit in Lima, Peru, November 21. (White House photo by Chris Greenberg )  

January 1, 2009

His Excellency
Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
Beijing

Dear Mr. President:

Today, we commemorate the opening 30 years ago
of formal diplomatic relations between the United
States and the People’s Republic of China.  This
decision by our two governments transcended
profound differences in our nations’ histories, cultures,
and political systems and bridged a seemingly
impossible divide.

The peoples of the United States and China have
come to know each other well over the last 30
years.  Together, we have built bridges between
our two nations in every conceivable field ‑‑ from
commerce and trade to education, science, sports,
and the arts.  Over the last 8 years, the
relationship between our governments has become
more constructive and cooperative, and we have
made progress in addressing global challenges such
as terrorism, pandemic disease, and the proliferation
of nuclear weapons.  We have worked as global
leaders to promote open markets as the best way
to foster economic dynamism and development. 
(Full text)

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