While the United States just celebrated the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I have a dream" speech, I have been asked by some American friends about the Chinese dream.

What does it really mean? Is it a dream of the nation rather than of the people? Is it just another clunky political slogan?

Here are some of my thoughts on our dream.

I believe the Chinese dream is a dream of national rejuvenation and people’s well-being. It belongs to both the nation and the individual. It is the painful memory of the humiliation for the country and suffering for the people from 1840 to 1949 that makes the Chinese people extremely cherish national greatness. They know that a happy life for the individual is possible only with the prosperity of the whole nation.

I was born in the 1950s, during which time the Chinese people barely had enough to eat or even wear. However, most Chinese had high hopes for a stronger China. The people hope this land can be a better home for them and for their children.

Unfortunately, this dream of national greatness has led to concerns in some parts of the world that China is becoming expansionist and aggressive. For this, I must say, the Chinese dream is a dream of peace.

China is a staunch force for safeguarding world peace. From 2001 to 2011, China provided more than $27.7 billion in foreign assistance and exempted about $4.9 billion in matured debts incurred by 50 of the least-developed countries. China has also dispatched more than 20,000 U.N. peacekeepers, the largest contributor among the perma- nent members of the U.N. Security Council.

The Chinese dream is a dream of development. Since the reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, China has made remarkable progress, rising to be the world’s second-largest economy.

Nevertheless, China’s basic national conditions remain unchanged: It has a large population, a weak economic foundation and unbalanced development. China’s per-capita gross domestic product ranks 89th on the global list, and 128 million Chinese still live below the U.N. poverty line.

Therefore, the path of peaceful development is a strategic choice and will remain the country’s top priority. China is committed to peaceful coexistence with all countries and expanding mutual benefits through cooperation.

The world benefits from China’s development. Statistics from the International Monetary Fund show that China has contributed to nearly one-fourth of the global economic growth since the outbreak of the global financial crisis.

How is the Chinese dream relevant to the American people? Having worked and lived in this country for two months, what impresses me most is how the interests of our two countries are interconnected.

China and the U.S. have a stake in each other’s economic prospect. Since the outbreak of the global financial crisis, China has made great contributions to the economic recovery of others, including the United States. China’s continued development means releasing the huge potential of domestic demand and creating an ever-expanding domestic market. That means the potential increase of China-U.S. trade.

Over the years, Hawaii has played a key role in China-U.S. relations as a bridge across the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii has benefited tremendously from China’s rise. China has become Hawaii’s fourth-largest and fastest-growing export market. The trade between China and Hawaii in the first half of 2013 reached $180 million.

Hawaii also is a popular destination for the increasingly affluent Chinese visitors. According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, more than 160,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit Hawaii in 2013, a 39.7 percent increase compared with that of 2012.

Hawaiian Airlines plans to start nonstop service from Honolulu to Beijing next April. The new service is expected to generate $81 million in annual visitor spending for Hawaii and contribute to people-to-people exchanges between China and the Aloha State.

Admittedly, the Chinese dream and the American dream have different connotations; however, they are highly complementary to each other and there is broad space for cooperation. People in China and the U.S. must work together to enhance strategic mutual trust, expand common interests and strive for win-win results in pursuit of their dreams.