February 12, 2010
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PREMIER CHOU EN-LAI:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Comrades and Friends,
We have begun to celebrate the different ways
That led us to this mountain pass
This summit, where we stand.
Look down and think what we have undergone.
Future and past lie far below, half-visible.
We marvel now, that we survived those battles,
Took those shifting paths
Blasted that rock, to lay those rails.
Through the cold night, uncompromising lines of thought
Attempted to find common ground, where their militias might contend,
Confident that the day would come for shadow-boxers to strike home.
We saw by the first light of dawn the outlined cities of the plain,
And see them still, surrounded by the pastures of their tenantry.
On land we have not taken yet, innumerable blades of wheat salute the sun.
Our children race downhill unflustered into peace.
We will not sow their fields with salt or burn their standing crop!
We built these terraces for them alone!
The virtuous American and the Chinese make manifest their destinies in time.
We toast that endless province, whose frontier we occupy from hour to hour,
Holding in the perpetuity the ground our people won today,
From vision to inheritance,
From vision to inheritance,
From vision, from vision,
From vision to inheritance.
All patriots were bothers once.
Let us drink to the time, when they shall be brothers again!
Let us drink to the time, when they shall be brothers again!
Gam bei!
CHORUS & THE PREMIER:
Gam bei!
NIXON:
Mr. Premier, distinguished guests,
I have attended many feasts, but never have I so enjoyed a dinner,
Never have I so enjoyed a dinner.
Better the music that I love outside America.
I move a vote of thanks to one and all whose efforts made this possible.
No one who heard could but admire your eloquent remarks, Premier.
And millions more hear what we say through satelite technology
Than ever heard a public speech before.
No one is out of touch,
No one, no one,
No one is out of touch.
Telecommunication has broadcast your message into space,
Yet soon our words won’t be recalled,
While what we do can change the world.
We have at times been enemies
We still have differences, God knows,
But let us in these next five days
Start a long march on new highways
In different lanes but parallel and heading for a single goal.
The world watches and listens, we must seize the hour
We must seize the hour
We must seize the hour
We must seize the hour
And seize the day!
ALL:
Cheers!
* * *
NIXON:
To Chairman Mao!
THE PREMIER:
The U.S.A.!
* * *
NIXON:
Everyone listen!
Listen!
Listen!
Just let me say one thing.
I’ve opposed China!
I’ve opposed China!
I’ve opposed China!
I was WRONG!
