View the President's Remarks
11:47 A.M. (Local)
PRESIDENT JIANG: Mr. President,
ladies and gentlemen, I've just had a very good talk with President
Bush. This is our first meeting, and we have had an in-depth
exchange of views and reached a series of consensus with respect to
such major issues as Sino-U.S. relations, counterterrorism, and
maintenance of world peace and stability.
China and the United States are two
countries with significant influence in the world. As such,
we share common responsibility and interest in maintaining peace and
security in the Asia Pacific and the world at large, promoting regional
and global economic growth and prosperity, and working together with
the rest of the international community to combat terrorism.
China attaches importance to its relations
with the United States and stands ready to make joint efforts with the
U.S. side to develop a constructive and cooperative relationship.
We live in a world of
diversity. Given the differences in national conditions, it
is not surprising that there are certain disagreements between China
and the United States. I believe that different
civilizations and social systems ought to have long-term coexistence
and achieve common development in the spirit of seeking common ground
while shelving differences.
The Sino-U.S. relations are currently
faced with the important opportunities of development. We
will conduct high-level strategic dialogue, advance exchanges in
cooperation in economic, trade, energy, and other fields, and
strengthen consultation and coordination on major international and
regional issues.
I'm confident that so long as the two
sides keep a firm hold of the common interests of the two countries,
properly handled, bilateral ties, especially the question of Taiwan, in
accordance with the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, the relations
between China and the United States will continuously move forward.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President,
thank you very much. I, too, felt like we had a very good
meeting. I've come to Shanghai because China and other Asia
Pacific nations are important partners in the global coalition against
terror.
I've also come because the economic future
of my nation and this region are inseparable. The nations of
APEC share the same threat, and we share the same hope for greater
trade and prosperity.
Thank you so much for hosting this
meeting. You and the city of Shanghai have done an
outstanding job. Mr. President, I visited this city 25 years
ago -- a little over 25 years ago. Then I could not have
imagined the dynamic and impressive Shanghai of 2001. It's
an impressive place, and I know you're proud. It's a tribute
to the leadership of the current officials of Shanghai, as well as to
your leadership as a former mayor, Mr. President.
We have a common understanding of the
magnitude of the threat posed by international
terrorism. All civilized nations must join together to
defeat this threat. And I believe that the United States and
China can accomplish a lot when we work together to fight terrorism.
The President and the government of China
responded immediately to the attacks of September
11th. There was no hesitation, there was no doubt that they
would stand with the United States and our people during this terrible
time. There is a firm commitment by this government to
cooperate in intelligence matters, to help interdict financing of
terrorist organizations. It is -- President Jiang and the
government stand side by side with the American people as we fight this
evil force.
China is a great power. And
America wants a constructive relationship with China. We
welcome a China that is a full member of world community, that is at
peace with its neighbors. We welcome and support China's
accession into the World Trade Organization. We believe it's
a very important development that will benefit our two peoples and the
world.
In the long run, the advance of Chinese
prosperity depends on China's full integration into the rules and norms
of international institutions. And in the long run, economic freedom
and political freedom will go hand in hand.
We've had a very broad discussion,
including the fact that the war on terrorism must never be an excuse to
persecute minorities. I explained my views on Taiwan and
preserving regional stability in East Asia. I stressed the
need to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and
missile technology.
Today's meetings convinced me that we can
build on our common interests. Two great nations will rarely
agree on everything; I understand that. But I assured the
President that we'll always deal with our differences in a spirit of
mutual respect. We seek a relationship that is candid,
constructive and cooperative.
I leave my country at a very difficult
time. But this meeting is important because of the campaign
against terror, because of the ties between two great nations, because
the opportunity and hope that trade provides for both our people.
I regret, Mr. President, I couldn't accept
your invitation to visit Beijing, but it will happen at a different
time.
PRESIDENT JIANG: Next time.
PRESIDENT BUSH: That's
right. Thank you for your hospitality.
Q I'm a
correspondent from China Central Television. Recently, there
has been improvement in Sino-U.S. relations. Just now you've
had your first meeting with President Bush. How would you
envisage the future growth of the bilateral ties?
PRESIDENT JIANG: The
developments of international situation has, time and again, shown
that, despite our disagreements of this type or that, the two countries
share extensive common responsibility and interest on major issues that
bare on the survival and development of mankind.
I'm pleased to note that, recently, there
has been improvement in our bilateral ties. The two sides
have maintained close consultation and cooperation on major issue of
counterterrorism. We've also made new headway in our
economic and trade fields in such exchanges and cooperation.
China and the United States are different
in their national conditions, so it's normal that there are certain
disagreements between us. So long as both sides respect each other,
treat each other with sincerity, enhance trust through frequent
exchange of views, than the disagreements can get addressed properly.
Just now, in my meeting with President
Bush, we once again had an extensive and in-depth exchange of views on
bilateral relations. We also reached important
consensus. We stand ready to work together with the U.S.
side to increase our exchanges and cooperation, enhance understanding
and trust, and develop a constructive and cooperative relations between
us.
I'm convinced that so long as the three
signed U.S. joint communiques and fundamental norms governing
international relations are adhered to, and so long as the problems
between us, especially the problem of Taiwan -- the question of Taiwan
is properly addressed, then there will be a bright future of our
relationship.
Q Thank you, Mr.
President. Thank you, sir, for having us here. Mr.
President, do you know yet whether there is a definite link between the
anthrax attacks and any foreign interests, particularly al Qaeda or
Iraq? And separately, there's a report that we have special forces in
southern Afghanistan now. Can you confirm that the ground
war has begun?
And a quick question to our
host, sir. Do you support the U.S. military action in
Afghanistan, which President Bush says could last one or two years?
PRESIDENT BUSH: First, I spent
some time explaining to the President of my determination to bring
people to justice that murdered our citizens. And I told the President
that our nation will do what it takes to bring them to justice, no
matter how long it takes. And, Ron, I don't know the time,
but I do know the desire.
And secondly, I explained to the President
that we will hold people accountable who harbor
terrorists. And that's exactly what we're doing.
I will not comment upon military
operations. I made it very clear from the outset of this
campaign that I will not respond to rumors and information that seeps
into the public consciousness, for fear of disrupting the operations
that are taking place. But let me reiterate what I've told
the American people and the world. We will use whatever
means are necessary to achieve our objective.
Thirdly, I do not have a direct -- I don't
have knowledge of a direct link of the anthrax incidents to the
enemy. But I wouldn't put it past them. These are
evil people and the deeds that have been conducted on the American
people are evil deeds. And anybody who would mail anthrax
letters, trying to affect the lives of innocent people, is
evil. And I want to say this as clearly as I can, that
anybody in America who will use this opportunity to threaten our
citizens, will think it's funny as a hoax to put out some kind of
threat, will be held accountable and will be prosecuted.
Now is the time in America -- now is the
time -- for us to stand up against terror, and for American citizens to
unite against terror. And we're looking, we're on the search
to find out who's conducting these evil acts.
I'm also pleased that the government is
responding very quickly, that people who have been exposed to anthrax
are getting the necessary treatments. I think it's very
important for people of all the world to understand that if anthrax --
if people are exposed to anthrax, there is a treatment for
it. And it's very important for all our governments to react
and respond as quickly as possible to make sure the citizens who get
exposed receive the necessary antibiotics. And we're doing
that in America.
And the American people also have got to
understand that we will make sure that there is ample supplies, as we
deal with this evil act, that we'll make sure there's ample supplies
available for the American people.
(President Bush's comments translated.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: Couldn't have
said it any better. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT JIANG: In my
discussion with President Bush this morning, I've made clear that we
are opposed to terrorism of all forms. And what we have done
in the past has shown this attitude of ours very clearly. We
hope that anti-terrorism efforts can have clearly defined
targets. And efforts should hit accurately, and also avoid
innocent casualties. And what is more, the role of the
United Nations should be brought into full play.
I'd also like to make a comment on
anthrax. I've also heard about it. And I think with regard
to this problem, all countries should take a unanimous stand, because
it's a public hazard. We should all unite and work to
prevent it from spreading any further.
That's the end of the press
conference. Thank you.
END
12:13 P.M. (Local)
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