On July 9, 2021, Vice President Wang Qishan attended and addressed an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kissinger's secret trip to China in Beijing.

Wang Qishan said, Kissinger's trip to China 50 years ago prompted the visit by President Richard Nixon to China and the issuance of the Shanghai Communique. The move demonstrated the extraordinary political wisdom and art of diplomacy of the older generation of leaders, turning a new page in China-U.S. relations and international politics. Over the past 50 years, China-U.S. ties forged ahead despite ups and downs, bringing massive benefits to the two peoples and facilitating world peace, prosperity and stability.

Wang Qishan pointed out, the struggle of the Communist Party of China in the past century aims to achieve national rejuvenation and people's happiness. China's development means opportunities for the world, and China and the United States should become partners in mutual development. At the current crucial juncture of bilateral relations, China and the U.S. should follow the spirit of the phone conversation between the two heads of state on the Chinese New Year's Eve, uphold principles, show mutual respect, and seek common ground while shelving differences. The two sides should respect each other's sovereignty, security and development interests, properly settle divergences and frictions via dialogue and consultations and address each other's concerns in a balanced way. The two sides should constantly expand common interests with new conditions and shifts in mind; strengthen people-to-people exchanges to consolidate popular support of bilateral ties. The biggest challenge for the United States is not China but the United States itself. The U.S. China policy should avoid turning into a vicious cycle of misjudgment and misguidance. As long as both sides uphold the idea of a shared future for humanity, China and the U.S. will not find their problems fundamentally antagonistic and will find a path of peaceful coexistence and cooperation for win-win results.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger attended the event via video link. He said, the contact between the U.S. and China 50 years ago corresponds with the trend of history and the interests of the two countries, and it still bears practical significance. The two countries should enhance strategic communications and continue dialogue and exchanges in all areas from the perspective of long-term development to ensure bilateral ties transcend divergences and focus on cooperation.

The event was co-hosted by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, with more than 300 attendees from various sectors of China and the United States online and onsite.