After listing the different views of the two sided on Major international issues and recognizing the essential differences between China and the United States in their social systems and foreign policies, the Shanghai Communiqué stresses that both sides agree to conduct state-to-state relations on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence. The two sides solemnly state: Progress toward the normalization of relations between China and the United States is in the interests of all countries; both wish to reduce the danger of international military conflict; neither should seek hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region and each is opposed to efforts by any other country or group of countries to establish such hegemony; and neither is prepared to negotiate on behalf of any third party or to enter to agreements or understanding with the other directed at other states. Both sides are of the view that it would be against the interests of the peoples of the world for any major country to collude with another against other countries, or for major countries to divide up the world into spheres of interests.
On the Taiwan question, the Chinese side reaffirms in the Communiqué its following position: The Taiwan question is the crucial question obstructing the normalization of relations between China and the United States; the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China; Taiwan is a province of China which has long been returned to the motherland; the liberation of Taiwan is China's internal affair in which no other country has the right to interfere; and all U.S. forces and military installations must be withdrawn from Taiwan. The Chinese Government firmly opposed any activities which aim at the creation of "one China, one Taiwan", "one China, two governments", "two Chinas", an "independent Taiwan" or advocate that "the status of Taiwan remains to be determined".
On its part, the U.S. side states: The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all U.S. forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes.
The Communiqué also stipulates that the two sides will facilitate the progressive development of bilateral trade and the further development of contacts and exchanges between China and the United States in such areas as science, technology, culture, sports and journalism, stay in contact through various channels, including the sending of a senior U.S. representative to Beijing from time to time for concrete consultations to further the normalization of relations between the two countries and continue to exchange views on issues of common interest.
The issuance of the Shanghai Communiqué signaled the beginning of the process of normalizing relations between China and the United States and laid the foundation for the further improvement and growth of those relations in the years to follow.
Editor: Zhang Pengfei | Source: mfa.gov.cn