50年前的1972年是打开中美关系大门的一年。尼克松总统改变世界的中国之旅无疑是先行者，接踵而至的是美国会参议院多数党领袖曼斯菲尔德和少数党领袖斯科特、众院多数党领袖博格斯和少数党领袖福特先后联袂率团访华，实现了美国会参众两院代表团历史上首次访华，这同样载入了中美关系的史册。
The gate of China-US relations was opened in 1972. 50 years ago, President Richard Nixon paid a historic visit to China. Then in the same year, Senate Majority Leader Michael Mansfield and Minority Leader Hugh Scott, and House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Minority Leader Gerald Ford followed in President Nixon’s footsteps, and led two consecutive visits to China. These were the first China trips by the US Congress, and they have also been marked in the annals of history.
在访问结束后向美国会提交的访问报告中，曼斯菲尔德参议员表示，“我们今天在看待中国时，特别是在经历了20年的隔绝之后，可能很难不受国家差别带来的扭曲的影响，但这种扭曲可以通过不同角度来进行修正。例如，判断一个瓶子到底是半满还是半空应该是可能的。如果用我们自己那些一般性的标准来衡量中国，无论是公路里程、汽车数量、电视机数量、厨房设备数量、政党数量还是报纸编辑数量，瓶子都会被视为半空。但如果从中国自己的过去来看，这个瓶子就是半满的，而且还在很快地装满。”博格斯和福特众议员在访问后也表示，“我们应学习在和平与相互尊重中共同生活，这符合我们两国人民的利益，也符合国际和平的利益”。这些话虽然是50年前说的，但在我们今天看来，依然触人心弦，极具现实指导意义。
In Senator Mansfield’s report to the Congress about the visit, he wrote: “It is difficult to look at China, today, free of the distortions of national disparities, especially after two decades of separation. But the distortions can be tempered by perspective. It is possible, for example, to judge a bottle as half full or as half empty. If China is measured by some of our common yardsticks, whether they be highway mileage, the number of cars, television sets, kitchen gadgets, political parties, or newspaper editors – the bottle will be seen as half empty. If China is viewed in the light of its own past, the bottle is half full and rapidly filling.” Representatives Boggs and Ford also said after their trip, “it is in the interest of our peoples and in the interest of international peace for us to learn to live together in peace and mutual respect.” These remarks, though made 50 years ago, are still resonating and relevant today.
女士们、先生们，
Ladies and Gentlemen,
和50年前一样，今天的中美关系再一次来到了一个重要的历史节点，处在新的一轮相互发现、认知、调试、平衡期。
The China-US relationship is at another historical juncture, just like 50 years ago. It is in a new round of mutual exploration, understanding, adaptation and balancing.
当前中美关系严峻复杂，我们不能只盯着彼此的分歧，要牢记双方的共同利益，拿出战略远见、政治勇气和外交智慧。我们应当从历史中汲取经验，在今天推动中美关系克服困难、战胜挑战、重建信任、重回正轨。
In the context of severe and complex China-US relations, we should not set eyes on our differences only. Rather, we should bear in mind our common interests, and show strategic vision, political courage and diplomatic wisdom. We should learn from history, overcome difficulties and challenges, rebuild trust, and take China-US relations back to the right track.
我们应该坚持全球战略视野和长远历史眼光。要登高望远，洞察时代潮流、顺应民众呼声，把握中美相互依存、互利共赢的本质，避免一时一事导致双方误解误判，既不让中美陷入“修昔底德陷阱”，也不让中美间上演“大国政治的悲剧”。
We need to take a strategic and long-term view, look far and wide, follow the trend of the times and the call of the people, and see China-US relations as mutually dependent and beneficial. We must avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation caused by individual events, and make China-US relations free from the “Thucydides Trap” or “the tragedy of great power politics”.
我们应该加强沟通交流、提升相互了解和信任。要相互尊重、平等相待，避免用美国的尺子衡量中国，避免“民主对抗威权”这样意识形态化和非黑即白的叙事，避免用“竞争”简单化定义中美关系。
