December 1, 2023
Nancy Kissinger;
Kissinger and Associates;
U.S. State Department, Public Affairs
Dear friends,
We send our deepest condolence to you, on the passing of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. He was one of a kind.
Over the past 12 years, as we worked to bring the mutual interests of China and the United States into alignment, we’ve often connected with government, business, academic, and cultural officials, and ordinary citizens across China.
Their universal assessment: they have the highest respect for Secretary Kissinger’s creative initiative in laying the foundation for durable peace between China and America.
We echo that sentiment: through a long and complex career, the Shanghai Communiquė and its related actions are a clear point of brilliance. Secretary Kissinger’s ability to form a bond of trust and respect with Premier Zhou Enlai was the bedrock upon which diplomatic relations were restored. A great burst of development began, that continues to this day.
When we met him in 2011 and he shook hands with Zhou’s nephew, Zhou Huazhang, we could see the enduring feeling in Secretary Kissinger’s eyes, as he said, “It’s so good to connect with my old friend again.”
It’s particularly significant that one of his last public appearances was with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as Secretary Kissinger celebrated his 100th birthday a few months ago.
The people of China feel they have lost a true and insightful friend.
President Xi said, “The Chinese don’t forget old friends, and the China-US relationship is connected with Kissinger’s name forever. ” And Secretary Kissinger responded, “Relations between our two countries are central to peace in the world, and to the progress of our societies.”
We are grateful to you, for helping to support Secretary Kissinger’s work through the years; you helped his many talents to be fully recognized. Too often, the role of an extended “family” is not fully recognized. Thank you.
Let us be worthy of his legacy, and steadfast in pursuing the goal of international peace, through all obstacles.
Sincerely,
Xiaofang Zhou North and
Michael North
co-founders, Zhou Enlai Peace Institute
Meeting with Secretary Kissinger
Meeting: President Xi and Henry Kissinger
