Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger talks with China Daily reporters in Beijing Sunday February 24, 2008. [China Daily]

Thirty-five years ago when Henry Kissinger was the US secretary of state, the rationale behind the detente between Beijing and Washington seemed simple: to overcome ideological barriers and parry common threat.

The world has undergone a lot of changes since then. The Cold War is now part of history and the leaderships on both sides belong to another generation. But the 85-year-old US diplomatic policy expert believes cooperation between China and the US remains the key to solving many international issues.