US and China are obliged to work together: Dr Kissinger

Chinese leader Mao Zedong (R) and Zhou Enlai (M) met with then US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Beijing, on Feb 17, 1973.[File Photo]

People's Daily: Dr Kissinger World Order is a great book. In this book you talked about the balance of world order, you know President Xi mentioned several times of “new type of major country relationship”. According to you, how to promote this “new type of major country relations” in this new era?

Dr Kissinger: I think the presidents of both countries have a focal point in their offices for relations with the other, either a person or a group, so that the two presidents can keep each other informed, and keep in contact with each other.

People's Daily: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the World War II, how should the US and China work together to uphold the world order after the war? How could US and China play a more constructive role on the global issues?

Dr Kissinger: You're too young, but I was a soldier in World War II. I was sent to Europe. We started in England, then we went to France, Belgium and finally Germany, my brother was in Pacific and he was in Okinawa and Korea, so my family had experience of the war, my view is always the same on that subject, China and US should cooperate on maintaining the peace in the world, especially in Asia and that is a joint enterprise.

People's Daily: Two days ago, I talked with professor Vogel in Harvard, the author of Deng Xiaoping and he mentioned you several times, and he made some suggestions and advice for president Xi's visit. What's your advice and suggestions for President Xi's visit? Because professor said President Xi should meet more common people on the streets, like talking about something publicly?

Dr Kissinger: Professor Vogel is a good friend, but he is a professor and he has no experience with state visit and it is very difficult for a state visit for the President of China to go out on the street and meet common people, especially in Washington. I think he should have contact to many different aspects of American life and I have met some of your people and I think they are attempting to do this, but in a slightly different way from that of professor Vogel.

People's Daily: Dr, if you were the Secretary of State today, what's your advice for president Obama to handle the US-China relations in his remaining time in his presidency?

Dr Kissinger: It's only a little more than a year left, so very late to do new things, my view is always be, for every president, it is to tell them to talk honestly to the Chinese, to tell them what their concerns are, to learn Chinese concerns, and try to solve one or two of the obvious problems and I'am sure they are going to do this, I am very confident.

People's Daily: Thank you so much Dr Kissinger.

After this interview, Dr Kissinger wrote to the readers of People's Daily as following:

To the readers of the People's Daily,

I look forward to President Xi's visit as a great contribution to peace in the world

Henry A Kissinger

September 10,2015