Speech 6 President N ixon's Toast on H is First Vi...
Mr.Prime Minister and all of your distinguished guests this evening:
On behalf of all of your American guests,I wish to thank you for the incomparable hospitality for which the Chinese people are justly famous throughout the world.I particularly want to pay tribute,not only to those who prepared themagnificent dinner,but also to those who have provided the splendid music.Never have Iheard Americanmusic played better in a foreign land.
Mr.Prime Minister,Iwish 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 whatwe say than on any other such occasion in the whole history of the world.Yet,whatwe say here will not be long remembered.Whatwe do here can change the world.
As you said in your toast,the Chinese people are a great people,the American people are a great people.If our two peoples are enemies the future of thisworld we share together is dark indeed.But ifwe can find common ground to work together,the chance for world peace is immeasurably increased.
In the spirit of frankness which I hope will characterize our talks this week,let us recognize at the outset these points:we have at times in the pastbeen enemies.We have great differences today.What brings us together is that we have common interests which transcend those differences.As we discuss our differences,neither of us will compromise our principles.Butwhile we cannot close the gulf between us,we can try to bridge it so that we may be able to talk across it.
So,letus,in these next five days,starta longmarch together,not in lockstep,buton different roads leading to the same goal,the goal of building a world structure of peace and justice in which allmay stand together with equal dignity and in which each nation,large or small,has a right to determine its own form of government,free of outside interference or domination.The world watches.Theworld listens.Theworld waits to seewhatwewill do.What is the world?In a personal sense,I think ofmy eldest daughter whose birthday is today.I think of all the children in the world,in Asia,in Africa,in Europe,in Americas,most of whom were born since the date of the foundation of the People's Republic of China.
What legacy shallwe leave our children?Are they destined to die for hatred 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 seek the territory of the other;neither of us seeks domination over the other;neither of us seeks to stretch our hands and rule the world.
Chairman Mao has written,“Somany deeds cry out to be done,ans always urgently;The world rolls on,Time presses.Ten thousand years are too long,Seize the day,seize the hour!”
This is the hour.This is the day for our two peoples to rise to the heights of greatness which can build a new and a better world.
In that spirit,Iask all of you present to joinme in raising your glasses to Chairman Mao,to Prime Minister Chou,and to the friendship of the Chinese and American peoplewhich can lead to friendship and peace for all people in the world.
背景简介:
20世纪60年代末,尼克松当选美国总统入住白宫后,意图通过改善中美关系,开展“均势外交”,增强美国对付苏联的力量,并调整其亚洲政策,多次做出寻求“与中共改善关系”的姿态,包括主动建立了通过巴基斯坦和罗马尼亚与中国互传口信的渠道。20世纪70年代初,毛泽东主席和周恩来总理从调整中、美、苏大三角关系的外交战略需要出发,通过请美国作家斯诺传话、邀请美国乒乓球队访华等方式,发出愿与美方接触、争取打开中美关系僵持局面的信息。1971年7月9—11日,美国国务卿基辛格秘密访华。
1972年2月21日上午11点30分,美国总统尼克松乘坐的“空军一号”飞机降落在北京机场。尼克松及夫人急忙走下舷梯,向前去迎接的中国总理周恩来伸出了手。中美两国领导人的手握在一起,结束了20多年的隔绝状态,标志着中美关系一个新时代的开始。在机场与周恩来总理握手,被尼克松本人称为“跨越太平洋的握手”,之后尼克松在中南海会见毛泽东主席。当晚,周恩来总理设宴款待尼克松一行。席间,尼克松总统致以上祝酒词。尼克松一行访华期间,中美双方经过反复磋商,最终在上海发表了《中美联合公报》,标志着中美两国关系正常化的开始,为随后中美关系的进一步改善和发展打下了基础。(https://www.daowen.com)
参考译文:
尼克松总统1972年首次访问中国时的祝酒词
总理先生,今天在座的诸位贵宾:
我谨代表你们的所有美国客人向你们表示感谢,感谢你们的无可比拟的盛情款待。中国人民以这种盛情款待而闻名世界。我不仅要特别赞扬那些准备了这次盛大晚宴的人,而且还要赞扬那些给我们演奏了这么美妙的音乐的人,我在国外从来没有听到过这么美妙的美国音乐。
总理先生,我要感谢您非常盛情和雄辩的祝酒词。此时此刻,通过电讯的奇迹,看到和听到我们讲话的人比在整个世界历史上任何其他这样的场合都要多。不过,我们在这里讲的话,人们不会长记不忘,但我们在这里的所作所为却能改变世界。
正如您在祝酒时所讲的那样,中国人民是伟大的人民,美国人民是伟大的人民。如果我们两国相互为敌,那么我们共同居住的这个世界的前途必然是黑暗的。但是,如果我们能够找到开展合作的共同点,那么实现世界和平的机会就会无可估量地增强。
我希望我们这个星期的会谈将是坦率的。本着这种坦率的精神,让我们会谈初始就认识到这样几点:在过去的一些时期里我们曾是敌人。今天我们之间仍然有巨大的分歧。使我们走到一起的,是我们有超越这种分歧的共同的利益。在我们讨论我们的分歧时,我们任何一方都不会在我们各自的原则上妥协让步。但是,虽然我们不能弥合我们之间的鸿沟,我们却能设法搭起一座桥梁,以便我们能够越过它进行会谈。
因此,让我们在今后的五天里在一起开始一次长征吧,不是并驾齐驱,而是在不同的道路上向着同一个目标前进。这个目标就是建立一个和平和正义的世界结构,在这个世界结构中,所有的人都可以在一起享受同等的尊严;每一个国家,不论大小,都有权力决定它自己的政府形式,而不受外来的干涉或支配。全世界在注视着,全世界在倾听着,全世界在等待着看我们有何作为。这个世界是什么呢?就个人而言,我想到我的大女儿,因为今天是她的生日。当我想到她的时候,我就想到全世界的新一代。亚洲、非洲、欧洲及美洲的新一代,他们大多数都是中华人民共和国成立之后出生的。
我们将给我们的后代留下什么遗产呢?他们是注定要为那困扰旧世界的仇恨而死亡呢,还是他们必然因为我们具有缔造一个新世界的远见而活下去呢?
我们没有理由成为敌人。因为我们任何一方都没有占领对方领土的企图,我们任何一方都不会伸出手去图霸世界。
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。”
现在就是只争朝夕的时候了,现在就是我们两国人民攀登那种可以缔造一个新的、更美好的世界的伟大境界的高峰的时候了。
本着这种精神,我请求在座的诸位同我一起举杯,为毛主席,为周总理,为能够通向全世界所有人民的友谊与和平的中国人民和美国人民的友谊,干杯。