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Acting Consul General Liu Jun Attended Cocktail Reception and Movie Screening of Documentary Better Angels to Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Establishment of China-US Diplomatic Relations
2018-11-30 23:26

On November 29th, Acting Consul General Liu Jun attended a cocktail reception and movie screening of the documentary Better Angels at the Chicago History Museum. The event, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, was hosted by the China General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) Chicago Chapter. Deputy Consul General Yu Peng, former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Better Angels Director Malcolm Clarke, Mrs. Sarah Lande from Iowa, and President of CGCC Chicago Mr. Ni Pin were among the over 200 guests from all different circles who participated in the event.

During the cocktail reception, Acting Consul General Liu Jun said that today’s documentary came at an opportune time—a time when many were deeply worried about the present and future of China-US relations. This documentary grants us a new perspective from which to reflect on our countries’ relations. It is precisely the interviewees in the documentary and the many people like them that, by the “better angels of [their] nature”, provide a beacon of hope for China-US relations. It is by their hands that the solid foundations have been laid, and the bright future paved for the progress of our two nations’ friendship.

Acting Consul General Liu Jun emphasized that the United States had a huge deficit of understanding with China. There are people who hold tightly onto the old, outdated Cold War and zero-sum game mentalities, that tend to judge China’s development based on the standards of the developmental path of the Western powers through history. In this sense, the creation of "Better Angels" was a critical and positive effort to try to shrink this deficit. From here on out, we look forward to seeing more films like "Better Angels", hearing more positive voices, and spreading positive energy to promote the stable and healthy development of China-US relations.

Acting Consul General Liu Jun pointed out that at present, China-US trade friction has caused widespread concern. We have always believed that China-US trade cooperation is complementary, mutually beneficial, and win-win in nature. From the outset, China has proven its determination to support trade liberalization and open its markets to the world through concrete actions. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and Opening-up. It is also the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-US diplomatic relations. For more than 40 years, China-US relations have experienced hardships and hurdles, but have nonetheless maintained a general sense of stability. In two days, Presidents Xi Jinping and Trump will meet during the G20 summit in Argentina. We look forward to the positive results of the meeting and signs that China-US relations will continue to develop strongly.

During the reception, Mrs. Lande held a book signing session for her book Old Friends: The Xi Jinping-Iowa Story. She recalled that in 1985, Xi Jinping led a delegation to visit Iowa, where he lived in the home of Muscatine residents and formed deep friendships with the locals. In 2012, when then Vice President Xi Jinping visited the United States again, he returned to Muscatine and reunited with his old friends. Mrs. Lande said that these precious friendships would remain forever fixed in their hearts. She expressed her hope that everyone becomes "better angels" and contributes to the friendship between China and the US.

After the movie, Director Clarke shared his experiences on the filming process and held a Q&A session with the audience. He said that although there exist some differences between China and the US, there are also many things our nations can learn from each other. This film primarily takes common Chinese and Americans as its subjects, and shows the bridges of cooperation and friendship that these two nations’ people have constructed. He hopes that this film will promote a deeper sense of understanding between the people of our two countries.

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