    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [November 20, 1993]
    [Pages 2032-2034]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Following Discussions With APEC
    Leaders in Seattle
    November 20, 1993

        The President. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. As we approach
    the end of a week of APEC activities, we've just completed 3 hours of
    meetings among 14 APEC economic leaders. It's been a pleasure for me and
    an honor for the United States to host this week's events and to convene
    this historic meeting on this beautiful island.
        The Asian-Pacific region will provide an increasingly vital role for
    our Nation and the world. The region is home to 40 percent of the
    world's people, includes the world's fastest growing economies, and the
    leaders standing here represent half the world's economic output.
        This week's events have been a success for all the region's peoples.
    We've laid a foundation for regional efforts to create jobs, raise
    incomes, expand business opportunities, and foster regional harmony.
    This week we took several tangible steps toward these goals.
        On Monday and Tuesday over 1,500 business people engaged in trade
    came together to focus on the region's potential to benefit their bottom
    lines. Later in the week, our ministers agreed to a package of market-
    opening measures designed to help bring the Uruguay round to the GATT to
    a successful conclusion by December 15th. And the ministerial meeting
    agreed to develop an action plan in the near future to reduce barriers
    to business throughout our region, such as differing product standards.
        The capstone of this week's activities has been this first-ever
    leaders meeting. Our discussions this morning, which will continue in
    the afternoon, give us a chance to become better acquainted and to
    compare our visions for our own nations and for our diverse and dynamic
    region. By meeting and talking we've been able to forge a stronger
    regional identity and a stronger purpose. That purpose is captured in
    the vision statement we just released.
        The statement sets forth our shared view of a regional economy
    characterized by openness, cooperation, dynamic growth, expanded trade,
    improved transportation and communications, and high-skilled, high-
    paying jobs. We've welcomed the challenge of the eminent persons group
    to achieve free trade in the Asian-Pacific region, advance global trade
    liberalization, and launch concrete specific programs to move us toward
    these long-term goals.
        In our discussions last evening and today, I've been struck by how
    many priorities we share: strong, sustainable economic growth; more open
    markets; better jobs, working conditions, and living standards for our
    own people; better education for our children and our adults; and
    protection of the region's unique environment. Of course, we will not
    always agree on how to achieve those goals. But at least now, for the
    first time, our region has a means to hold serious policy discussions on
    such questions as how to remove trade barriers or how to sustain robust
    growth.
        If you ask me to summarize in a sentence what we've agreed, it is
    this: We've agreed that the Asian-Pacific region should be a united one,
    not divided. We've agreed that our economic policies should be opened,
    not closed. We've agreed to begin to express that conviction by

    [[Page 2033]]

    doing everything we possibly can to get a good GATT agreement by
    December 15th.
        With today's meeting, we're helping the Asian-Pacific to become a
    genuine community, not a formal, legal structure but rather a community
    of shared interests, shared goals, and shared commitment to mutually
    beneficial cooperation.
        The development of that community is certainly in the interest of
    the American people and all the people of this region. We should be
    pleased with the progress we've made. And let me say again how honored I
    am on behalf of the United States to have had the opportunity to host
    all these leaders.
        Thank you very much.

    Economic Cooperation

        Q. Mr. President, there was no sign of any flexibility from China in
    the area of--or with Japan on the trade imbalances. Can you say, were
    any minds or attitudes changed during the course of this meeting?
        The President. You're referring to meetings that I had yesterday and
    discussions we had. Today I'm the host of the meeting where we discussed
    economic issues, and I frankly believe by--I'll make you a prediction on
    the economic issues: By next June or July, certainly by a year from now,
    I believe that the responsibilities of the United States and Japan to do
    more to promote global economic growth will have been, in large measure,
    advanced. And I think you will see that we've done some of the things
    that we should, both of us. So today we focused on what we could do
    together economically, and I think that's what I ought to respond to
    today.

    China-Taiwan Relations

        Q. Mr. President, the fact that--representatives from Taiwan and
    China to join you to discuss about the issues--I wonder, how do you find
    your respective vision for these areas? And in your opinion, how does
    this meeting affect the relationship between Taiwan and China?
        The President. Well, that's something for them to determine. I
    invited, as the host, all the members of this organization, which was
    the appropriate thing to do. Actually, I'm struck by how much common
    investment and common activity there is now, and by the common
    strategies of high savings and investment, hard work and entrepreneurism
    that are sweeping that part of the world. It is immensely impressive, I
    think, to anyone who has observed it.

    Malaysia

        Q. Mr. President, what do you think about Malaysia's absence from
    this meeting? And what do you think about the EAEP, the East Asia
    economic party?
        The President. Well, first of all, I'm in favor of anything which
    increases regional economic cooperation and advances the economic
    interests of people as long as it doesn't close off economic
    opportunities for others. And I wish Mr. Mahathir were here, and I look
    forward to meeting him someday.

    North Korea

        Q. Mr. President, how serious is the situation in North Korea as a
    threat to this whole region? And is that something that you discussed
    today at the meeting?
        The President. We didn't discuss it today, but it was discussed
    yesterday. And I look forward to meeting with President Kim in
    Washington. He's going back to Washington, and we'll be meeting there
    and talking about it. It is a source of concern to us, but one that we
    believe we can find solutions to. And we're going to be taking some
    initiatives in that area in the not-too-distant future.

    New Zealand

        Q. Mr. President, is New Zealand now figuratively out of the cold,
    if not literally? Have you now restored the political relationship with
    New Zealand?
        The President. Actually, we're out in the cold today. [Laughter]
        The Prime Minister and I had a good talk about that, and we agreed
    that we would at least take a good look at our relationship and see what
    else might be done. We have an awful lot in common and a lot of natural
    instincts toward friendship and cooperation. And I think both of us are
    uncomfortable with what has become of our relationship over the last
    several years. So we'll take another look at it; we may have something
    to say about it, but not today and not tomorrow.

    Economic Cooperation

        Q. Mr. President, when you were talking about NAFTA you mentioned
    several times Taiwan, Japan, and China are the three major obstacles
    when you're dealing with U.S. trade defi-

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    cit. A lot of people think that was not very helpful when you're trying
    to cooperate with Asian countries. I was wondering, after this meeting--
    --
        The President. Wait, wait, wait. You can ask the question, but let
    me restate what I said.
        What I said to the American people was simply the fact that the
    people who were against NAFTA acted as if Mexico essentially was going
    to displace the entire industrial production of the United States or
    significant portions of it. And I pointed out the fact that we have a
    trade surplus with Mexico and that our largest operating trade deficits
    are with Japan, China, and Taiwan. That's simply a fact. That's not an
    act of hostility, it's just a stated fact. So, go ahead, ask the
    question.
        Q. The question is, after this meeting, will you think that in the
    future that United States is willing to use cooperation instead of
    Article 301 type of trade retaliation threat to deal with these
    problems?
        The President. Well, I think, first of all, we've used Article 301
    rather sparingly. And secondly, we do seek cooperation. That's the whole
    purpose of this meeting. That's one of the reasons that I wanted all the
    leaders to come here, because I think that we have so much in common in
    terms of our shared views about what the economy of the 21st century
    ought to look like and what our roles ought to be in it, that I think we
    can do a lot through cooperation. And we're working very hard to do
    that.
        In the end, if we're going to develop the right kind of free market
    system, it is going to have to be a cooperative one. But it's going to
    have to be one that is plainly in the interest of all the people
    involved in the system. That is, everyone has to be going forward
    together.

    Multilateral Trade Negotiations

        Q. Mr. President, how hard and fast is the December 15th deadline
    for successful completion of the GATT round? It's slipped a couple of
    times previously. Would you be prepared to extend it if you don't have
    agreement by then?
        The President. Well, it's not entirely up to me, and of course, we
    have certain legislative authority in America, as you know, that
    controls that.
        All I can tell you is that I think we want to take this moment of
    opportunity that, frankly, the House of Representatives, and I hope
    today that the Senate, will give impetus to through NAFTA, and that we
    are trying to give energy to through our meeting here and through our
    clear statement again that we want the Asian-Pacific region to be
    united, not divided, economically; open, not closed; and committed to
    GATT. We want to seize this moment to try to get it done now. And I've
    always found that when you're working on an objective, you shouldn't
    discuss what you'll do if you don't get there until after you don't get
    there. We still think we can be there, and we're going to try.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:45 p.m. on Blake Island. In his remarks,
    he referred to Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia. A tape
    was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.