Speech at a Welcoming Banquet
Mr.Prime Minister, I wish to thank you for your very gracious and eloquent remarks.At this very moment through the wonder of telecommunications, more people are seeing and hearing what we say to them than on any other such occasion in the whole history of the world.Yet, what we say here will not be long remembered.What we do here can change the world.As you said in your toast, the Chinese people are a great people, and the American people are a great people.If our tow peoples enemies, the future of this world we share together is dark indeed.But if we can find common ground to work together, the chance for world peace is immeasurably increased.What legacy shall we leave our children? Are they destined to die for the hatreds which have plagued the old world, or are they destined to live because we had the vision to build a new world? There is no reason for us to be enemies.Neither of us seeks the territory of the other, neither of us seeks domination over the other, and neither of us seeks to stretch out our hands and rule the world.Chairman Mao has written,“ So many deeds cry out to be done, and always urgently; the world rolls on, time prees.Ten thousand years are too long, seize the day, and seize the hour!”
This is the hour.This is the day for our two peoples to rise to the heights of greatne which can build a new and a better world.
In that spirit, I ask all of you present to join me in raising your glaes to Chairman Mao, to Prime Minister Zhou, and to the friendship of the Chinese and American people that can lead to friendship and peace for all people in the world.
Richard M.Nixon
1972
欢迎宴上的致辞
——美国前总统尼克松的经典演讲
总理先生，我要感谢您作的如此盛情和意味深长的讲话。此时此刻，通过电讯的奇迹，在观看在聆听我们的讲话的人数是空前的。也许，我们在这里的演讲不会长留于人们心中，但我们在这里做的是能改变世界。
正如你在酒词中说讲的，中国人民是伟大的人民，美国人民是伟大的人民。如果我们两国相互敌视，那么我们共同拥有的这个世界的前途就会暗淡无光。但是，如果我们能找到相互合作的共同立场，那么实现和平的机会就将无法估量的大大增加。我们将给我们的孩子留下什么遗产呢？他们注定是要因为那些曾祸患旧世界的仇恨而死亡呢？还是因为我们缔造一个新世界的远见而活下去？
我们没有要成为敌人的理由。无论我们那一方都不企图侵占对方的领土;无论哪一方都不企图控制对方；无论哪一方都不企图伸手去主宰这个世界。
毛主席写过：“多少事，从来急，天地转，光阴迫。一万年太久，只争朝夕。”
现在正是只争朝夕的时候，是我们两国人们去攀登伟大事业的高峰——缔造一个全新的，更美好的世界的时候。本着这种精神，我请求诸位同我一起举杯，为毛主席，为周总理，为能为全世界人民带来友谊与和平的中美两国人民之间的友谊，干杯。
尼克松
1972
（本文为1972年尼克松访华时的祝酒词）
