The Sharing Session of the newly-published “40 People on 40 Years: China-U.S. Diplomatic Dialogue” hosted by China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, co-organized by Shanghai Institute of American Studies and New World Press unveiled its debut on August 12 at the 2020 Shanghai Book Fair.

 Lu Cairong, CIPG Vice President and Wu Xinbo, Director of the Center for American Studies, Dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University and President of Shanghai Institute of American Studies presented attendance at the fabulous event. Sha Hailin, Deputy Director of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Standing Committee and President of Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Jin Binghua, Member of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), Vice Chairperson of the NPC Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee, former Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the Chinese Writers Association and Yang Jiemian, Chair of the Academic Affairs Council of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies et al. partook in the Sharing Session as distinguished guests upon invitation.

Mr. Lu Cairong briefed the audience on an overview that the Center for American Studies(CAS) at Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of American Studies(SIAS), in concerted endeavors with New World Press as the publisher, presented “40 People on 40 Years: China-U.S. Diplomatic Dialogue”, follow-up publication sequels to “40 People on 40 Years: An Interview Series Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of China-U.S. Diplomatic Normalization”, a project launched by CAS at Fudan University, SIAS  and The Paper (a Chinese digital media outlet) which features exclusive interviews with 40 renowned leading experts (20 from each side) and aims to closely examine the diplomatic path to where we are today, and explores the potential to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance collaboration. The China-U.S. rapprochement 40 years ago not only changed the world’s political landscape, but also changed the fate of countless Chinese and American people. We therefore decided to shed light on the front-row witnesses to the development of China-U.S. relations, uncovering their personal journeys to China/U.S. studies as well as the highlights of prospective orientations regarding bilateral relations between China and the United States.

Mr. Lu Cairong

 Mr. Sha Hailin conveyed that “the prospect of Sino-U.S. relations is a major issue that what the people of both countries and the wider world expect to deeply reflect on”. The past four decades witnessed and testified to the fact that China and the U.S., and for that matter all countries in the world, have benefited from the development of China-U.S. relations. “40 People on 40 Years: China-U.S. Diplomatic Dialogue” casts spotlight on ties between China and the United States, embracing the witnesses’ profound insights into the ongoing development of Sino-U.S. bilateral relations, whose publication bears invaluable significance and relevance in the historical node.

Mr. Sha Hailin

 Professor Wu Xinbo, Preface Author and Leading Research Fellow interviewed in the “40 on 40” project, noted that the ensemble inclusive of representativeness in essence, motivated readers to encounter objective perspectives and pertinent analyses. To render approaches by virtue of specialization perspective and expertise, Professor Wu shared the self-experience and insights with the broad readership, construing that overall, China-U.S. relations have made historic progress despite ups and downs along the way, which does not come easily and should be cherished by all of us. Second, “mutual benefit and win-win cooperation” enables both sides to foster bilateral relationship with momentum so that the Chinese and American people and the whole world can benefit more from cooperation among China, the U.S. and other countries. Third, mutual respect, managing well the differences, expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and win-win is the only right choice for bilateral relations oriented towards the future.

Professor Wu Xinbo

 Mr. Yang Jiemian, veteran academic researcher in the sphere of China-U.S. relations and one of the interviewees in the launch series, deemed the stories narrated and ideas unfolded in the book as critical components. Mr. Yang emphatically highlighted that by means of strengthening interaction with a wide range of readers and authors, we would draw intellectual wisdom and proposals to deepen comprehension of national conditions and the global context, jointly creating a more favorable internal and external environment for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Mr. Yang Jiemian

Furthermore, presented as one of the highlighted items on the agenda, the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, the Shanghai Institute of American Studies, together with The Paper (a Chinese digital media outlet), launch "40 People on 40 Years: An Interview Series Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of China-U.S. Diplomatic Normalization", a project which features exclusive interviews with 40 renowned experts (20 from each side) in seven cities across China and the United States, aiming at closely tracing and pursuing the diplomatic paths of both sides, tapping into the potential to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance collaboration with shared insightful perspectives.

     The ongoing publication of “40 People on 40 Years: China-U.S. Diplomatic Dialogue” in English version with the output of English-version copyright has been vigorously and proactively facilitated via marching progress, scheduled to be published in the United States.   

(Preceding English Paragraphs Translated by Mao Xiaojun)