Left holding the candy, I was suddeny surrounded by other children and felt I had done something wrong. "How could I accept the sweets of American imperialists?" Though I blamed myself, I couldn't help unwrapping the candy since it was scarce in China in those years. It smelt good, with a milky flavor. But it tasted strange when I licked it. Other children told me not to eat it, warning me, "It must be poisonous. It is said that the American army used poisonous candy to kill people in the Korean War." I trembled at hearing this and spat on the ground. A few minutes passed. I didn't feel any discomfort and the other children relaxed their vigilance. They began to taste the candy in their hands and suddenly all of us ate it up. Later I learned the strange taste was peppermint and the man was U.S. President Nixon.

Zhou Enlai greets Richard Nixon at the airport on February 21, 1972.

    After that I gradually changed my opinion of the U.S., and began to learn English. A few years later, when President Ford visited China, I no longer regarded America as the enemy, but joined the crowds swarming to see him and sincerely applauded when I heard him speak.

    As I grew up, I become particularly fond of American films. Kramer vs Kramer told me about American families and society. The beautiful scenes of On Golden Pond have always attracted me. Star Wars told me why peace is important to human beings.

    Nowadays, China and America are closely connected, each country a stakeholder in the other. With the advent of the global financial crisis, the two nations are facing more international responsibilities together.

    The great man who stands high and sees far is esteemed by the people. In China there is a saying: "When you drink the water, think of those who dug the well." We should never forget President Nixon inaugurated the age of new relations between the U.S. and China.

    Many things have changed in the past 30 years. I'm now 40, President Nixon has left us, and my old kindergarten is now surrounded by skyscrapers. I treasured the candy paper from all those years ago and kept it in a book for a long time, but finally lost it. All I can do now is look up to heaven and say a hearty "thanks" to President Nixon.