President Jimmy Carter’s life was one long string of milestones, which included reaching his 100th birthday on Oct 1, 2024 — an achievement made all the more remarkable given that he had spent almost two years in hospice care. I was privileged to interview Carter on a number of occasions over the years, and speak with him at length about his unique world view and commitment to strengthening US-China relations. Each time we conversed, I saw firsthand how, throughout his century of achievements, the one enduring quality that defined him was his deep concern for and contribution to the human condition.
As a child, he donated 5 cents a week to support church missionaries, many of whom were then working in China. As an adult, his four-year presidency and almost 44-year post-presidency, was largely given over to resolving global conflicts, combating disease including the crippling parasitic Guinea-worm, and helping to build more than 4,000 homes for families in need. Following his marriage in 1946 to the late Rosalynn Carter, with whom he cofounded The Carter Center in 1982, they became equal partners in both life and work.
While it was President Richard Nixon who broke the silence with China when he visited Beijing in 1972, it was Carter who normalized bilateral relations in 1978 — a historical event in which his personal role is sometimes overlooked.
In doing so, the two countries not only embarked on a relationship that helped to end the Cold War, but created a loose alliance of more than 1.8 billion people that has led the fight against major threats to the health and well-being of the planet. Today, despite some serious geopolitical tensions, Carter’s legacy continues through ongoing efforts to maintain global peace and security, and fight common challenges such as climate change.
The manifestation of what is possible has also thrived through the longtime partnership between The Carter Center and the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), which is based on the personal friendship between Carter and CUSEF’s founder and chairman emeritus Tung Chee-hwa.
When I first interviewed Carter in 2017 in his hometown, Plains, Georgia, we talked about the importance of global cooperation to fight disease. The announcement last month at our annual US-China Hong Kong Forum that CUSEF will join The Carter Center’s international campaign to eradicate Guinea-worm was a powerful expression to enhance this collaboration, and demonstrates how our two foundations, one based in America and the other in Hong Kong, can work together for the lasting good of humanity.
In celebrating Carter’s 100th birthday at CUSEF’s annual meeting, we honored the legacy of his life-transforming work, along with that of his wife, which will live on through the women and men of The Carter Center.
Today, we join the world in mourning the passing of Jimmy Carter, celebrating his extraordinary life, and recommitting to doing our part to support his dream for a more equal and peaceful world. We extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones during this time of loss.
The author is president of the China-United States Exchange Foundation, an independent non-governmental organization, committed to improving the global well-being through the fulfilled potential of the world’s two leading economies.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
