3. One of the first slogans you raised upon taking office was the “China Dream.” It proved popular at home and has the ring of the “American dream.” In speeches you’ve given, you’ve said the “China Dream” is about building a strong nation and strong military. What do you see as the similarities and differences between the “China Dream” and the “American dream”?
XI: The Chinese dream is fundamentally about making life better for the Chinese people, and I think one should approach this concept from two angles: history and reality. Starting from the Opium War in 1840, the Chinese nation went through a century of social turbulence, foreign aggression and the sufferings of war. Yet throughout all this trying time, our people stood on their feet and struggled tenaciously for a better future. They never gave up the longing for their cherished dream. To understand today’s China, one needs to fully appreciate the Chinese nation’s deep suffering since modern times and the profound impact of such suffering on the Chinese minds. That is why we regard the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as its greatest dream since modern times. The Chinese dream is as much the dream of every Chinese as it is the dream of the whole nation. It is not an illusion, nor is it an empty slogan. The Chinese dream is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people.
Every country and every nation has its own dream, and dream brings hope. During my last visit to the United States, my old friends in Muscatine, Iowa, talked to me about their dream. I have the impression that the Americans and people in all other countries share the same dream about the future: world peace, social security and stability, and a decent life. Naturally, owing to differences in history, culture and stage of development, China, the United States and other countries may not have the exact same dream, and they pursue their dreams in different ways. But all roads lead to Rome. The dreams of various peoples, however different in meaning, are sources of inspiration for them, and all these dreams create important opportunities for China and the United States, as well as other countries to engage in cooperation.
