Interview in Beijing:
President Xi Jinping of China
and former US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger.
July 20, 2023
Xi Jinping:
It’s good to see you. It’s been over three years, and you have just celebrated your 100th birthday.
I wish you a long and healthy life.
Great character lives long. You are 100 years old, and you have come to China more than 100 times. These two 100’s make this trip specially meaningful.
52 years ago, also in July — right here, in the Diaoyutai National Guest House Building No.5 — Premier Zhou Enlai and you met.
Here, the two countries began the normalization process, which has historical meaning. At that time, the China-US relationship was at a turning point.
The Chinese don’t forget old friends, and the China-US relationship is connected with Kissinger’s name forever. Chinese people will always remember you.
I highly respect you.
Secretary Kissinger:
Mr. President, it is a great privilege to be able to visit China.
And it is extraordinarily gracious of you to arrange the meeting in Villa 5 of the State Guesthouse, where my first meeting with a Chinese leader took place:
That relations between our two countries would be central to peace in the world, and to the progress of our societies.
