Special Report: 30th Anniversary of Sino-U.S. Diplomatic Relations 

    BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China should broaden their cooperation, and China's notion of a "harmonious world" would be a good platform for U.S.-China cooperation, former U.S. National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski told reporters here Tuesday.

    "Thirty years ago, we had a common threat in the Soviet Union and therefore we had a strategic interest in coming together. Today we have a common interest in preventing massive instability and conflict in the world" and making the world function within a restructured international system, he said.

    "That's a new common interest," Brzezinski said.

    Brzezinski came to Beijing for a series of events that began Monday to mark the 30th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations.

    "The notion of harmony, which China proposed, is exactly the right response to the danger of a clash of civilizations," Brzezinski said.

    He emphasized that the concept of harmony was the only way to have a "decently stable and increasingly just world."

    The notion of a harmonious world is a very good way to achieve the peaceful co-existence of countries with different cultural backgrounds, he added.

    As two major members of the international community, the United States and China are seeing historical and even philosophical significance in their cooperation, according to Brzezinski.

    U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will be inaugurated on Jan. 20. As to future U.S.-China relations, Brzezinski said the U.S.-China relationship needs to be raised to a higher level.

    "No doubt the financial crisis is pushing almost all countries to a direction of increasingly defensive policies. However, it in the long run proves not very constructive," he said.

    "I would not link the possible strengthening protectionism tendency to President-elect Obama. That is happening anyway ... Obama is much more international and more aware that in the 21st century, we have to cooperate."

    The People's Republic of China is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009. When asked to comment on the country's development in recent years, Brzezinski said that China is constructing something very new and different, which can not be described by a single word.

    "A harmonious society" might be the best term for it, he said.    

China, U.S. agree bilateral relations as "most important"

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (front, 2nd R) talks to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (front, C), who is here to attend the commemorative events of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, while they are taking a group photo in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 12, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Jiansheng) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States on Monday agreed that Sino-U.S. relations had become one of the most dynamic and important bilateral relations in the world.

    Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and visiting former U.S. President Jimmy Carter made the consensus when addressing a reception in the Great Hall of the People to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Full story

China, U.S. start high-profile events to mark 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties 

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (2nd R, front) and his wife Rosalynn Carte visit the photo exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties between China and the United States in Beijing Jan. 12, 2009. The exhibition kicked off here on Monday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States on Monday kicked off a series of activities to mark their three decades' work of building one of the world's most crucial bilateral relationships.

    "Like a scroll of vivid historic scenes, these pictures showcased significant progresses in the 30-year China-U.S relations and deeply inspired us," Chinese President Hu Jintao said in a congratulatory message set to a photo exhibition marking the relations. Full story

U.S. envoys to China optimistic about bilateral ties in Obama era

Clark Randt (R), U.S. ambassador to China, speaks during a reception marking the 30th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations in Beijing Jan. 11, 2009. During the reception held by the U.S. embassy in China on Sunday, four U.S. ambassadors eyed a continued China policy under the Obama administration.(Xinhua/Li Mingfang) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Four U.S. ambassadors in Beijing on Sunday eyed a continued China policy under the Obama administration.

    "I am optimistic that U.S-China ties will continue to improve and remain steady in the years ahead. In fact, they are getting better," former U.S. ambassador to China James Sasser told reporters on the sidelines of a reception marking the 30th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations. Full story