    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 29, 1997]
    [Pages 1456-1457]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the State Dinner Honoring President Jiang Zemin of China
    October 29, 1997

        Good evening. President Jiang, Mrs. Wang, members of the Chinese
    delegation, Ambassador and Mrs. Sasser, distinguished guests, friends
    all, Hillary and I welcome you to America's house.
        Mr. President, in your lifetime you have witnessed the sweep of a
    remarkable century, both in China and abroad. And in your different
    occupations, you have lived a rich sampling of the human enterprise.
    While you lead China toward the future, we know you also are a student
    of the past, with an interest in our history, from Thomas Jefferson to
    Mark Twain. Not many heads of state can recite the Gettysbury Address,
    Mr. Lincoln's powerful hymn to the sanctity of our Union and our
    guarantee of freedom.
        China has played an important role in our history. In 1784, shortly
    after America's independence, the first American merchant ship landed in
    China. The Chinese officials knew we were not European, so they simply
    called us the ``new people.'' And though we were unfamiliar, the Chinese
    allowed us to trade freely with them. So one of the oldest societies on
    Earth, China, extended the hand of friendship to the world's youngest
    nation.
        The two centuries since then are a tiny fraction of recorded Chinese
    history. Long before the United States was even born, China was a
    stronghold of creativity, knowledge, and wealth. From the printing China
    invented to the poetry it produced, from medicine and mathematics to the
    magnetic compass and humanistic philosophies, many of China's earliest
    gifts still enrich our lives today.
        Now, the Chinese people are dramatically building on this legacy.
    Economic reform over the past 20 years has transformed China's landscape
    and its people's daily lives, lifting millions from poverty, giving more
    people education, shelter, choice of work, and a chance to provide for
    their children, bringing the Chinese people closer to the rest of the
    world and into a greater leadership role in the community of nations.
        Now, on the verge of the new century, both our nations seek to
    continue this progress, to contribute to China's growing prosperity, to
    encourage its democratic development, to support its emergence as a
    responsible global power and partner.
        Surely a new world is dawning on the other side of the millennium.
    From Shanghai to San Francisco, a community is emerging that can become
    ``Pacific'' in every sense of the word. Communication and commerce cross
    even the world's widest ocean in only a matter of seconds, making all of
    us neighbors.
        Let us make the most of these new realities. Our commercial and
    cultural relationship is strong and growing stronger. Our people travel
    back and fourth, teaching and learning from each other. Mr. President,
    we Americans are proud that your son received a part of his education at
    one of our universities, and we want more of our young people to study
    in China. We want to work even more closely to promote peace, to fight
    drugs and organized crime, to build prosperity, to protect our
    environment for future generations.
        We must press ahead on these fronts and more. I hope some day, Mr.
    President, the children of both our nations will say of us that

    [[Page 1457]]

    our decision gave new meaning in our time to President Lincoln's call
    for a new birth of freedom. The United States has benefited already
    beyond measure from the contributions of Chinese-Americans, whose unique
    culture and values of family, education, and hard work have strengthened
    the fabric of our society. Already, China has enriched America's
    history. Now, Mr. President, let us work together with confidence to
    enhance our common destiny.
        The ancient text, the ``I Ching,'' in English is called ``The Book
    of Changes.'' It tells us leaders plan in the beginning when they do
    things; leaders consider problems and prevent them. With this summit we
    have considered problems, taken steps to prevent some of them, and we
    have begun to plan together for a future not of problems but of progress
    for America, for China, for the world.
        It is in that spirit that I ask you to join me in a toast to the
    people and the President of the People's Republic of China.

    Note: The President spoke at 9 p.m. in the East Room at the White House.
    In his remarks, he referred to President Jiang's wife, Madame Wang
    Yeping; and James M. Sasser, U.S. Ambassador to China, and his wife,
    Mary. The transcript made available by the Office of the Press Secretary
    also included the remarks of President Jiang.