The Bush administration, while I don't agree with many of its policies, either domestic or foreign, has done a very good job in its relations with China. It was very fortunate that over the past eight years, the Bush administration had very positive policies toward China. President [George W.] Bush has done a good job in a variety of ways. There are now so many relationships, government to government, people to people, people to government, government to people, NGOs to NGOs, etc. There is a strong web of relationships between China and the United States. There are many Chinese students in this country, an increasing number of American students going to China to study, an increasing number of Americans who are studying Chinese here in this country. So the relationship is inevitably going to grow. I really think that President Obama is not going to change much on China, certainly not during his first six months in office. The relationship at this point is fine.

Regarding current bilateral relations, in your opinion, what are the most important principles that both countries should observe to continuously strengthen relations?

To be open, curious and try to trust one another.

(Reporting from New York)

Landmarks

- February 21-28, 1972: U.S. President Richard Nixon visits China. The two countries issue the Shanghai Communiqué on February 28.

- May 1, 1973: China and the United States open liaison offices in each other's capitals.

- December 1-5, 1975: U.S. President Gerald Ford visits China.

- December 16, 1978: China and the United States issue the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. The two countries agree to recognize each other and establish diplomatic relations as of January 1, 1979. In the communiqué, they also agree to exchange ambassadors and establish embassies on March 1, 1979.

- January 28-February 5, 1979: Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping visits the United States.

- April 10, 1979: U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs the Taiwan Relations Act, which China believes interferes in its internal affairs. The act requires the United States "to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character."

- August 17, 1982: China and the United States issue the August 17 Communiqué in which the United States states that "it intends gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution." The August 17 Communiqué along with the Shanghai Communiqué and the Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, lays the groundwork for China-U.S. relations.

(Source: www.xinhuanet.com)