In his videotaped speech broadcast yesterday on Chinese television, Jiang welcomed visitors to the exhibition, entitled "Journeys to Peace and Cooperation," an event which opened in Beijing yesterday to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Nixon tour.

A TV speech by US President George W. Bush to mark the occasion also aired yesterday.

Jiang said the historical handshake between the leaders of China and the United States three decades ago signaled the beginning of a new chapter for China-US ties and for the friendship between the two peoples.

He said China-US relations as a whole have been forging ahead despite the ups and downs over the past 30 years, and that the two countries have made great progress in exchange and cooperation in many fields.

To review history is to create a better future. History has shown that contact and co-operation between the two countries are in the fundamental interests of both peoples and have a major impact on maintaining world peace and promoting common development, Jiang said.

"We believe that as long as the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit and seeking common ground while setting aside differences are observed, China-US ties will see unceasing progress," Jiang said.

(China Daily November 21, 2002)