我还期待着才华出众的美国驻华大使、州长洪博培(Jon Huntsman)的提名获得确认。洪博培具有在亚洲生活和工作的丰富经历，而且不像我，他能说一口流利的汉语普通话。他也碰巧是曾负责参议员麦凯恩(McCain)竞选的共和党人。我认为这显示了洪博培为祖国效力的责任感，以及两党对美中建立富有成果的积极关系的广泛支持。
今天，我们是在一座体现上世纪历史的建筑中举行会议。这座建筑里有一个纪念美国伍德罗?威尔逊(Woodrow Wilson)总统的中心，当他担任总统时，20世纪才开始不久，美国在世界的领导地位还刚刚显现。这座建筑以罗纳德?里根(Ronald Reagan)命名，里根是在两次世界大战期间长大成人，他的总统任期推动了新的历史时代的到来。大厦里有一块柏林墙上的砖，它见证了几十年来象征分裂的柏林墙最终的倒塌，放开了仍在继续改变我们世界的全球化浪潮。
在100年前，也就是20世纪初的那些日子里，显然有重大的选择需要做出，这些抉择有关国家边界和人类的权力。但在威尔逊时期，没有人能预见到历史的变迁能够导致柏林的一道墙的倒塌，他们也无从想象其间那些年里的冲突剧变。无论是波士顿还是北京，对各地的人来说，20世纪都是一个取得伟大进步的时代，但这种进步也伴随着巨大的代价。
Today, we look out on the horizon of a new century. And as we launch this dialogue, it is important for us to reflect upon the questions that will shape the 21st century. Will growth be stalled by events like our current crisis, or will we cooperate to create balanced and sustainable growth, lifting more people out of poverty and creating a broader prosperity? Will the need for energy breed competition and climate change, or will we build partnerships to produce clean power and to protect our planet? Will nuclear weapons spread unchecked, or will we forge a new consensus to use this power for only peaceful purposes?
Will extremists be able to stir conflict and division, or will we unite on behalf of our shared security? Will nations and peoples define themselves solely by their differences, or can we find the common ground necessary to meet our common challenges, and to respect the dignity of every human being?
We cannot predict with certainty what the future will bring, but we can be certain about the issues that will define our times. And we also know this: the relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century, which makes it as important as any bilateral relationship in the world. That reality must underpin our partnership. That is the responsibility we bear.
As we look to the future, we can learn from our past for history shows us that both our nations benefit from engagement that is grounded in mutual interests and mutual respect. During my time in office, we will mark the 40th anniversary of President Nixon's trip to China. At that time, the world was much different than it is today. America had fought three wars in East Asia in just thirty years, and the Cold War was in a stalemate. China's economy was cut off from the world, and a huge percentage of the Chinese people lived in extreme poverty.
今天，我们展望一个新世纪的地平线。在我们启动这次对话时，我们需要思考一下那些将塑造21世纪的问题。与目前的危机类似的情况会让经济增长陷入停滞吗?我们会通过合作创造出平衡和可持续的增长，让更多人摆脱贫困并创造更普遍的繁荣吗?对能源的需求是会带来竞争和气候变化，还是我们会发展合作关系，来生产清洁能源保护我们的地球?我们是让核武器毫无节制地扩散，还是达成新的共识，只将核能用于和平目的?极端分子会挑起冲突和分裂吗?还是我们为了共同的安全而团结一致?国家和人民会完全按照彼此间的分歧而定义自己?还是我们能够找到必要的共同点，迎接我们共同的挑战，并尊重每个人的尊严?
我们不能确切地预测到未来将会如何，但我们能够确定的是哪些问题将决定我们的时代。我们也都知道：美国与中国的关系将塑造21世纪，它的重要性不逊于世界上的任何双边关系。这一现实必须支撑我们的合作伙伴关系。这是我们担负的责任。
面向未来，我们可以从过去学到很多，历史让我们看到，我们两国都从基于共同利益和相互尊重的交往中受益颇丰。在我的任期内，我们将纪念尼克松总统访华40周年。当时的世界与今天有很大的不同。美国在短短30年的时间里就在东亚打了三场战争，冷战陷入了僵局。中国经济被隔离于世界之外，很大一部分中国人生活在极其贫穷的状态中。
