Photo taken on June 12, 2019 shows Neil Bush(2nd R), son of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Chip Carter(2nd L), son of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and David Firestein(1st R), president and CEO of the Bush China Foundation (BCF), in the award ceremony held at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter received the inaugural George H. W. Bush Award for Statesmanship in U.S.-China Relations on June 12 local time at the Carter Center, Atlanta.

The award is the first of this type presented by the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, in recognition of the contributions of Carter, who witnessed the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the US as the 39th President of the US from 1977 to 1981.

At the awarding ceremony, participants reviewed the important roles of Carter and Bush in developing the bilateral relations between the US and China.

The participants said that both sides have benefited from the ties over the past four decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations. They also called some US politicians to attach importance to the relationship with China and take positive actions to maintain it, so as to bring it to back to the right track.

The China-US friendship transcends partisanship; indeed, a strong and stable consensus for its vitality exists in both countries, said Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai in a speech delivered at the ceremony.

“This year marks the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. At this critical juncture, there are yet some irrational doubts about our relations. Some are clamoring for decoupling of our two countries and a new Cold War. These attempts are not only questioning the achievements we have made over the past four decades and challenging the very tangible outcomes of our cooperation, but also putting the future of our relations and prospects for global stability and prosperity at great risk,” he said.

The George H. W. Bush Award for Statesmanship is set for outstanding American and Chinese people who have made profound contributions to the development of bilateral relations, introduced David Firestein, president and CEO of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations.

President Jimmy Carter is the first recipient of the award, and there will be more winning it in the future, said Firestein.