    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [November 19, 1993]
    [Pages 2022-2025]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Following Discussions With
    President Jiang Zemin of China in Seattle
    November 19, 1993

        The President. Good afternoon. I have just completed a meeting with
    President Jiang of China which I believe was very productive. It was an
    important meeting for the people of China and the people of the United
    States. China, after all, is home to one of every five people who live
    on this planet and is the world's fastest growing major economy. We have
    to work together on a wide range of issues of regional significance and
    of global significance.
        President Jiang said to me in a letter that we need to talk to each
    other not because we have no differences but because we do have
    differences and need to resolve them. Today I tried to be as forthright
    and clear as I could about our common interests and about our clear
    differences.
        We agreed on the need to work on improving our relationship. We know
    that what we do affects not only our own people but all the people in
    the world. When we work together we're a powerful force for security and
    economic progress. As fellow members of the U.N. Security Council, we
    have worked side by side on many things, including Cambodia and Haiti.
        In our meeting I reaffirmed the United States support for the three
    joint communiques as the bedrock of our one China policy. We agreed on
    the need to preserve the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and
    to work together to ensure that North Korea resolves the world's
    concerns over its nuclear problems.
        We also discussed very frankly areas of disagreement. I emphasized
    to President Jiang the need for early, concrete progress on aspects of
    China policy and practice that are of deep concern to the American
    people: human rights, including Tibet; trade practices; and
    nonproliferation. Over the past few months we have had a number of
    bilateral meetings in Beijing and Washington to explore the
    possibilities for progress in these key areas. Our meeting today is a
    part of that ongoing process. I hope it can lead to substantial
    advances.
        In our meeting today I especially stressed our concerns in the area
    of human rights. Last May I put forward key human rights conditions that
    must be met if most-favored-nation status to China is to be renewed next
    spring. I told President Jiang that I welcome our dialog on human
    rights. I hope we can make significant progress on these issues very
    soon. I mentioned in particular the need for prison access by the ICRC,
    the question of releasing political prisoners, especially those who are
    sick. I particularly mentioned the case of Wang Jontao. I asked for a
    dialog on Tibet with the Dalai Lama or his representatives. And I
    discussed the question of prison labor and the need for our customs
    officials to visit other facilities as already called for in our
    memorandum of understanding.
        In other words, on the question of human rights, I attempted to be
    quite specific, not implying that the United States could dictate to
    China or that China could dictate to the United States the general
    conditions or institutions of

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    our society, but clearly recognizing that there are human rights issues
    that are a barrier to the full resolution of normal and complete and
    constructive relations between our two nations.
        I also emphasized the need for progress on our trade imbalance. We
    discussed the needs for greater market access and for the protection of
    intellectual property rights. I think our trade relationships alone
    indicate that the United States has not attempted to isolate China but
    instead has attempted to assist its movement into the global economy.
    After all, this year we will purchase about a third of the total Chinese
    exports, and we must do a better job of selling our products and
    services into that market.
        I also stressed that we look to China to participate fully in
    international efforts to stem weapons proliferation. We continue to have
    differences on these issues. But we agreed that we should seek to
    resolve them through dialog and negotiation. This is clearly in the
    interest of both nations.
        As we approach the 21st century, the relationship between our two
    countries will be one of the most important in the world. I believe that
    my meeting today with President Jiang established our determination to
    build on the positive aspects of our existing relations and to address
    far more candidly and personally than we have in the past the problems
    that remain between our two nations. I look forward to continuing that
    dialog during tomorrow's APEC leaders meeting and in other ways in the
    coming months.
        I believe we have made a good beginning. I always believe the best
    beginning in a challenging situation is to be as frank and forthright as
    possible. And I think that I did that, and I believe that he did that.
        Let me make just one other comment about a domestic issue; then I'll
    answer a couple of questions. I'd like to compliment the United States
    Senate in passing the crime bill today. It is absolutely imperative that
    we now resolve the differences between the Senate and the House bill,
    that we move ahead to get 100,000 police on the street as quickly as we
    can. It will still take several months even after the bill is signed to
    train the police and put them out there. It is a terribly important
    issue.
        There are other matters in the bills, especially the boot camps,
    that I think are important. But I am distressed at the Senate filibuster
    of the Brady bill. I know they're going to vote one more time tonight,
    and before they leave, I would urge the Senate to pass the Brady bill.
    It has been delayed far too long. And the attack against it, that it
    will not solve all the gun violence in the United States, ignores the
    fact that it will solve some of our problems by actually permitting us
    to do a weapons check of the criminal and mental health backgrounds of
    people who want to buy handguns. It will, it will turn up people who
    should not be able to buy guns, many of whom will have criminal records,
    some of whom may have outstanding warrants.
        This is an important issue for our country. I understand that some
    people think the politics are still difficult. But clearly, it is the
    right thing to do. And I hope the Senate will reconsider its filibuster
    and permit the majority to rule. There's plainly a heavy majority for
    the Brady bill. That majority should be able to carry the day.

    China-U.S. Relations

        Q. Mr. President, in the photo opportunity prior to your meeting
    with President Jiang, he sounded reluctant to even discuss in any great
    detail the questions of human rights and weapons proliferation. What was
    his response to your concerns about those issues? And since you appear
    so reluctant to push China into any sort of isolation, just what do you
    have at your disposal to bring China around? What's your leverage there?
        The President. Well, first of all, I think anybody should be
    reluctant to isolate a country as big as China with the potential China
    has for good, not only good for the 1.2 billion people of China who are
    enjoying this unprecedented economic growth but good in the region and
    good throughout the world. So our reluctance to isolate them is the
    right reluctance.
        On the other hand, I laid down a human rights policy and a policy on
    trade and nonproliferation that we are going to pursue: the human rights
    policy in the context of MFN renewal next year and the trade and
    nonproliferation policies, in the proper context, that we are already
    pursuing. And I think that the leverage is not insignificant. After all,
    we are their major purchaser of products and services. We have been
    their commercial friend, as we should have been. I do not begrudge that.
    But we have got to have progress on these three fronts.
        I would remind you these two countries have been somewhat estranged
    ever since Tiananmen

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    Square. And the very fact that we talked today I think is a positive
    sign that both of us are interested in trying to resolve our respective
    problems. I don't think you ever lose anything by talking with someone
    as long as you're honest. And I don't think there was any doubt about
    where the United States stands on these issues today.
        Q. And his response, Mr. President?
        The President. Well, he did engage and discuss a number of those
    things. I think, given the nature of the political environment in China
    and their historic reluctance to discuss these issues in public, the
    press statement that he made was consistent with their historic pattern.
    But I thought we began a dialog, and that's all I think I should say
    today.

    North Korea

        Q. Mr. President, in your meeting with Prime Minister Hosokawa and
    also as you mentioned in your meeting with President Jiang, you
    discussed the subject of North Korea. What can you tell us about your
    sense of how that situation is developing, whether we're moving toward a
    situation in which you're going to be faced with a deadline because of
    the IAEA's inability to eventually continue to monitor? And what sort of
    assurances have you gotten from the Chinese on cooperation on that
    issue?
        The President. Well, first of all, that's precisely what we want to
    avoid. We want to avoid the situation where the IAEA can no longer
    certify that North Korea is nonnuclear. So you're in the worst of both
    worlds; you don't know whether it is, but you can't say that it isn't.
    That is what we're trying to avoid.
        Secondly, you should understand that perhaps next only to South
    Korea, both China and Japan are deeply interested in the same objective.
    They do not wish to have a nuclear North Korea. And so they support the
    policy of trying to prevent that from happening. All three of those
    countries have a great deal of sensitivity about what is most likely to
    bring about that result. They are worried about whether sanctions would
    backfire. And we have discussed with them some other options, perhaps
    taking a more comprehensive approach to all the differences between us
    in an attempt to demonstrate again to North Korea that they have nothing
    to be afraid of from an honest dialog with the South and from allowing
    the inspectors to come back in.
        So we are looking at what some other options are now. But this is a
    very important issue, and the United States, I think, clearly has the
    responsibility to lead on this issue. And we are doing our best to do
    it. We are on top of it. And I know there are those who think we should
    have taken a different course, who think, well, maybe we just haven't
    been involved in this. But I would remind you that South Korea, Japan,
    and China are intimately interested and personally affected by those
    developments. And we have consulted extensively with all three of them
    all along the way, and we are pursuing the policy we think has the best
    chance of success.

    Japan

        Q. Mr. President, in advance of this meeting, one journalist
    described Japan's historic posture toward the United States as one of
    obsequious arrogance, namely the endless stonewalling of various trade
    issues. It took us no less than 22 years to get Washington apples into
    Japanese markets. What is your sense of the posture of the new Japanese
    Government toward moving things on so we will not have to wait 22 years,
    for instance, to get American rice into that market?
        The President. This is a different government and a different time
    with different objectives for the internal economy of Japan. I think
    that the present policy is not sustainable. On the other hand, this
    government was elected and this Prime Minister was elected to deal with
    a wide range of issues. They are working on their political reform
    agenda now, and I think they will conclude it soon.
        The United States supports those efforts at political reform and
    believes that they should be encouraged. It's part of the change that is
    sweeping the world. After that, I believe that Prime Minister Hosokawa
    will move seriously on the two great economic issues that we share in
    common: One is what should be done to make sure that at times like this
    when there's a global recession, the United States, Japan, and Europe
    follow policies that will promote higher rates of global growth, because
    we can't grow unless there's a global economic growth pattern. Secondly
    is, what can we do to follow up on our framework agreement in which we
    identified some very specific areas in which we expect mutually to work
    together to get real results? My vision, as I said to Prime Minister

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    Hosokawa, for Japan is that as we move toward the 21st century, Japan
    will become like other great powers in terms of its openness to
    investment and to trade and that together we will help to create a world
    of far more sustained and sustainable growth and opportunity for our own
    people and, in the process for the developing nations as well.

    Taiwan

        Q. Mr. President, you just mentioned three communiques and one China
    policy. Does that mean somebody raised the issue of Taiwan in the
    bilateral meeting? And secondly, since you've visited Taiwan four times
    and most knowledgeable of the Taiwan issue, what you want to do in deal
    with U.S.-Taiwan relations?
        The President. I have been there many times. I've been there five
    times, actually. And I have been very impressed with the remarkable
    transformation of the country as it has gotten more prosperous and more
    democratic and impressed also by the amount of investment from Taiwan
    into China. So that it seems that the two countries are getting along on
    a commercial basis, even as the rest of us are confronted with political
    dilemmas from time to time.
        We did not really discuss that today in any detail whatever. The
    policy of the United States on one China is the right policy for the
    United States. It does not preclude us from following the Taiwan
    Relations Act, nor does it preclude us from the strong economic
    relationship we enjoy with Taiwan. There's a representative, as you
    know, here at this meeting. So I feel good about where we are on that.
    But I don't think that will be a major stumbling block in our
    relationship with China. I think we can work through these other things,
    that the practical ingenuity of the Chinese people themselves seems to
    be at least on a course to resolve that in some form or fashion in the
    years ahead.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 3:15 p.m. at the Rainier Club.