On June 13, Ambassador Cui Tiankai hosted a luncheon for the Chinese and US participants of the 2013 China-US Dialogue. The dialogue is co-organized by the Aspen Institute and the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. About 40 people attended the event, including Executive Vice President of the Party School Li Jingtian, Assistant Foreign Minister Le Yucheng, former National Security Advisor General Brent Scowcroft, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, former US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, former Chief of Staff of the White House William Daley, former Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns and former US Ambassador to China Stapleton Roy.

Ambassador Cui extended his congratulations to the success of the dialogue. He then shared his personal experience in the preparation and participation of the recent meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama in California and shared his views on how to build a new model of relationship between the two big countries of China and the United States.

Ambassador Cui pointed out that from the "handshake across the Pacific Ocean" to "cooperation across the Pacific Ocean", China-US relations have gone through a journey of over four decades. The journey has demonstrated that the relationship has kept abreast with the times, the historical trends and changes in the world, and is always aimed at serving the long-term interests and common needs of the Chinese and American people.

Ambassador Cui said that the meeting has set out the goal and direction for China-US relations, which is to build a new model of relationship. This new model of relationship is based on mutual respect and aims to achieve win-win outcome. It focuses on cooperation without sidestepping differences. China and the United States are cooperating in increasingly broader areas. The converging interests between the two countries continue to expand and there is huge room for further cooperation. This is the mainstream of China-US relations. At the same time, the two countries are different in terms of development stage, history, cultural tradition and political and social system. While such differences do exit, they do not necessarily mean irreconcilable disputes, nor should they be reasons for confrontation. The two sides could "seek harmony without sameness" and "seek common ground while shelving differences". The two sides could also step up coordination and properly manage these differences so that they will not affect the overall relations.

Ambassador Cui concluded by stressing that to build a new model of relationship is not a slogan, but a shared responsibility for both countries. This responsibility should not and could not be the mission of the two governments only. It requires broad participation from people in all spectrums in both countries.

Mr. Burns said in his remarks that US-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship for the United States. The two countries share extensive common interests. There are many issues in the world that the United States and China must work on together. The two countries should treat each other respectfully and candidly. For the United States, it should recognize that China is emerging as a big power and will play a more important role in world affairs. While China should recognize that the United States needs to respect its allies and friends in the Asia-Pacific and other parts of the world and to work with them to maintain world peace and stability. As both partners and competitors, the United States and China should handle their relations in a constructive and responsible way. He believed that the wisdom of the leaders will guide people in both countries and help them understand that the United States and China could be friends.

Representatives of Chinese and US participants applauded the significance and positive outcome of the Sunnylands meeting and expressed their willingness to continue to contribute their wisdom and effort to the building of a new model of relationship between China and the United States.