In his letter he called for China and the United States to "work together to deal with a wide range of common problems and challenges, such as preserving peace and prosperity in this region, preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, limiting environmental damage, countering global terrorism, enhancing stability on the Korean Peninsula, and curbing the spread of HIV AIDS."

Kissinger was unable to attend the forum as he has been asked by US President George W. Bush to head an Independent Commission looking into the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Some people are worried about the competition China will bring over the next two to three decades, Kissinger wrote, but "those of us who believe in the benefits of market economics should not be afraid of competition, which is the force that drives human progress."

Kissinger said he has been "struck" by the immense positive changes that have occurred both in China and in US-China relations since the Shanghai Communiqu¨¦ was issued in February 1972.

"The fact that Shanghai is now hosting an international media forum itself illustrates the significance of the far-reaching changes," he wrote. "As China continues on the path of reform and openness, it is inevitable that news media will play an increasing role in China's development."

Kissinger recalled how thirty years ago in China there were no cell phones, no computers, and very few normal telephones, but noted that "now there are more cellular and ordinary telephones in China than in the United States. Chinese citizens have better and quicker access to outside sources of information than ever before. These changes have immense significance for China's media, just as they do for ordinary Chinese throughout the country."

(People's Daily December 5, 2002)