Nahum. It is a great honor for me to be here inShanghai and to have this opportunity to speak with all of you. I'd like tothank Fudan University's President Yang for his hospitality and his graciouswelcome. I'd also like to thank our outstanding Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, whoexemplifies the deep ties and respect between our nations. I don't know what hesaid, but I hope it was good. What I'd like to do is to make some openingremarks, and then what I'm really looking forward to doing is taking questions.Not only from students who are in the audience, but also we've receivedquestions online, which will be asked by some of the students who are here inthe audience, as well as by Ambassador Huntsman. And I am very sorry that myChinese is not as good as your English, but I am looking forward to this chanceto have a dialogue. This is my first time traveling to China and I'm excited tosee. This majestic country. Here in Shanghai, we see the growth that has caughtthe attention of the world, the soaring skyscrapers, the bustling streets andentrepreneurial activity. And just as I'm impressed by these signs of China'sjourney to the twenty first century, I'm eager to see those ancient places thatspeak to us from China's distant past tomorrow and the next day. I hope to havea chance when I'm in Beijing to see The majesty of the Forbidden City and thewonder of the Great Wall. Truly, this is a nation that encompasses both a richhistory and a belief in the promise of the future. The same can be said of therelationship between our two countries. Shanghai, of course, is a city that hasgreat meaning in the history of the relationship between the United States andChina. It was here thirty seven years ago that the Shanghai communique openedthe door to a new chapter of engagement between our governments and among ourpeople. However, America's ties to this city and to this country stretch backfurther to the earliest days of America's independence. In seven thousand,eight hundred and eighty four, our founding father, George Washington,commissioned the Empress of China, a ship that set sail for these shores sothat it could pursue trade with the Qing Dynasty. Washington wanted to see theship carry the flag around the globe and to forge new ties with nations like China.This is a common American impulse, the desire to reach for new horizons and toforge new partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Over the two centuriesthat have followed, the currents of history have steered the relationshipbetween our countries in many directions. And even in the midst of tumultuouswinds, our people had opportunities to forge deep and even dramatic ties. Forinstance, Americans will never forget the hospitality shown to our pilots, whowere shot down over your soil during World War II and cared for by Chinesecivilians who risked all that they had. by doing so. And Chinese veterans ofthat war still warmly greet those American veterans who return to the siteswhere they fought to help liberate China from occupation. A different kind ofconnection was made nearly forty years ago, when the frost between ourcountries began to thaw through the simple game of table tennis. The veryunlikely nature of this engagement contributed to its success, because for allour differences, both our common humanity and our shared curiosity wererevealed. As one American player described his visit to China, the people arejust like us. The country is very similar to America, but still very different.Of course, this small opening was followed by the achievement of the Shanghaicommunique and the eventual establishment of formal relations between theUnited States and China. In one thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine. And inthree decades, just look how far we have come. In one thousand, nine hundredand ninety nine trade between the United States and China stood at roughly fivebillion dollars. Today it tops over four hundred billion dollars each year. Thecommerce affects our
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