Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said on March 5 in Washington that the United States and China have a common interest in respectful and cooperative
relations.

  "The world's most populous country and the world's most technologically advanced country should not be in avoidable conflict, and they should seek to find ways to solve problems jointly," Kissinger said at a breakfast jointly hosted by the National Press Club and the U.S.-China Relations Committee to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the issuance of the Shanghai Communique.

  Kissinger said the one China principle in the Shanghai Communique has been maintained by seven U.S. administrations of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

  "Every American president since President Nixon's visit, no matter what he said in the campaign and no matter how he started, has returned to that fundamental principle," he said.

  Kissinger said the fact that U.S. President George W. Bush has met with Chinese President Jiang Zemin twice in four months and Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Vice President Hu Jintao are coming to visit the U.S. this year symbolizes the recognition on both sides of the importance of the relationship between the two
countries.  

  Kissinger pointed out that as the United States and China have different social systems and historical background, it is important for them to work together in the interest of the two countries as well as mankind. "The two countries have nothing to
gain by confrontation with each other," he added.  

  Speaking highly of the development in China during the 30 years since the issuance of the Shanghai Communique, Kissinger said that "China has developed in a way that nobody could have believed possible" when he and President Nixon visited the country for the first time.