Kissinger emphasizes importance of US-China cooperative ties for world

The peace and progress of the world depend on the abilities of the United States and China to respect each other's core interests, former U.S. secretary of state, Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, has advised on the future development of Sino-U.S. relations.

"The fundamental thing to keep in mind is that the peace and progress of the world depend on the abilities of the United States and China to respect each other's core interests, and to modify the core interests in order to make cooperation possible," said the 93-year-old veteran diplomat while receving the Lifetime Achievement Award here on Thursday night.

The award was granted by the National Committee on U.S.- China Relations (NCUSCR) for his instrumental role in building constructive ties with China.

The award was also presented to 91-year-old Maurice Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of C.V. Starr & Co., and former chairman and CEO of American Insurance Group which contributed to the development of the young China's insurance industry.

United Airlines and Boeing were also honored for their contributions to positive bilateral relations by the NCUSCR.

In the 30 years since United Airline began service to China, the airline has grown to operate more non-stop flights to more cities in China than any other American carrier, with a total of 100 weekly flights to six Chinese destinations.

Celebrating its centennial this year, Boeing has long-standing relationships with Chinese airlines, the Chinese aviation industry, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Chinese government.

The NCUSCR, founded in 1966, is a leading non-profit non-partisan organization that encourages understanding of the United States and China among the peoples of both countries. Endit