    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [June 26, 1998]
    [Pages 1062-1065]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in a Roundtable Discussion With Xiahe Area Residents
    June 26, 1998

        The President. Let me begin by thanking all of you for spending a
    little time with my wife and me today, and by thanking everyone in Xiahe
    for making us feel so welcome.
        I'm sorry that I had to take a little time to answer some questions
    from our news media, but as you know, there's 12 hours time difference,
    and so, they're running out of time to file their stories, and thank you
    for your patience.
        In America, there is a lot of respect for and interest in Chinese
    history and culture but also in the remarkable transformation which has
    occurred here over the last 25 years. For example,

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    many Americans are very interested in the fact that over half a million
    Chinese villages now have local elections, including this one.
        They are interested in knowing more about the changes which have led
    to rising incomes and giving more people the ability to own their own
    homes and to make decisions about jobs. And they're interested in how
    small entrepreneurs start their own businesses and how villages like
    this have their own investments.
        So we really have no set program today. I would like to just hear
    from each of you about what you are doing and how you personally have
    seen things change in China in the last few years.
        Who would like to go first? Doctor, perhaps--the student?
        Participant. Maybe it would be interesting in hearing about some of
    the changes that have taken place at the school.
        The President. Yes, very much.
        Participant. I think that education in China has achieved great
    progress during the past few years. And the economy and development of
    China has benefited education. I've been educated from elementary school
    through high school. It's very rich; there's been a lot of change. The
    life at university is very rich now, and we're learning a great deal
    now. It is very helpful for our future development.
        Thank you.
        The President. Thank you.
        Participant. My name is Yang; I'm from the Xiahe village. I work in
    the local village clinic, and this is the lowest level clinic in China.
    We work according to the regulations from the Government, and we try
    to--one of our jobs is to prevent the common diseases in the countryside
    and report our work to the higher level Government. Another
    responsibility of the lower level clinic is to treat common diseases in
    the countryside. That's all for now.
        Hillary Clinton. Doctor, have you
    noticed improvements in the health of the people here in the countryside
    during your time as a doctor?
        Participant. There has been great improvement in the health quality
    in the countryside people, especially now we have more money and they do
    less physical work.
        Participant. My name is Yao Linua, and I am the
    manager of the Terra Cotta Warrior. I own a little factory. I am the
    manager there, and I also manage old people's home. I am just a country
    woman, but ever since the reform, I now rent a factory and an old people
    home, and basically, the factory also supports the old people home.
        Now the Chinese have become rich, but we shouldn't forget about old
    people. In the 20th century we have in China more older people. We
    really should do more for them, and that's my goal in my life. That's
    what I want to do.
        Mrs. Clinton. May I ask, how did
    you start your factory? Where did you get the funds to start the factory
    and get the equipment and materials that you needed?
        Participant. I used my own money and got some loan from Government.
    And actually, several of us work together, so I also collect some funds
    from my partners.
        The President. The older people who stay in your home, how do they
    get the funds to pay to be in the home?
        Participant. We get our funds--some of them get money from the
    Government, and the factory would pay for their expenses for their
    living in the old people home.
        The President. And what is the average age of the people in the
    home?
        Participant. Sixty-five years old is the average age. The oldest one
    is 89 years old.
        The President. This is going to be a big issue in the future for
    every country. In our country, the fastest growing group of Americans
    are people over 85. There are still not many of them, but they're
    growing very fast. And every society will have to figure out an
    honorable way to take care of such people. So I appreciate the work
    you're doing.
        Participant. My name is Yang Dongyi, and I am
    from Xiahe village. I grew up in this village. First I was a farmer, and
    now I rent a little company. Ever since the liberation in 1949, there
    are three big changes I experienced myself in this village. The first
    change I experienced was the life in the village after the liberation
    was better than before. Our life since 1982, the reform began, our life
    has improved compared to before the liberation. In 1992, our life
    experienced another improvement. Before 1989, the average income in the
    village was about--a little bit more than 100 yuan, and then in 1982,
    the average income in the village was more than 1,000 yuan. And now the
    average income in the village is over 3,000 yuan.
        Before 1982, my whole family would only get about 100 yuan income
    per year. Now I and my wife and one daughter, the three of us,

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    we have more than 30,000 yuan income per year. I want to tell the
    President that the changes in my village and the change in my own family
    is also the change in the country.
        My personal change, compared to some people in China, is still
    relatively small, and this place and Xi'an, compared to the coastal
    cities in China, is still a little backwards. But of course, compared to
    the U.S., this village is a lot more--even more backward, but we would
    be willing to work very hard.
        The President. Let me say, first of all, that it's very impressive
    how much economic progress has been made in such a short time.
        I wonder, what specific change do you think has been most important
    in helping you and your family to earn so much more money through your
    hard work?
        Participant. The most important thing is we have a good policy in
    our country now. In the past, no matter what your abilities are, you are
    told to do what you are supposed to do. But after the reform, everyone
    can have the space to show their own talent and to work very hard.
        The reason now the production improved so much is everybody can do
    what they're good at. Some people begin to do business; some people stay
    in the farmland; and some people begin to have their own company.
    They're all doing what they're good at. They are also paying more
    attention to learning the new technology, so their ability to work has
    greatly improved.
        Another thing is they also learn from the foreign countries now.
    They borrow and they learn the advanced technology from the foreign
    country and use on their own production. And that's the main reason
    where they are now today.
        The President. Thank you.
        Participant. I am a primary school teacher. I feel that the whole
    society now respects a teacher a lot more. All the children who are
    school age now go to enroll in the primary school, and they have 9 years
    of Government-sponsored education. The issues associated with young kids
    have attracted a lot of attention from all aspects of the society.
    That's it.
        The President. What percentage of the teachers are women and what
    percentage are men?
        Participant. In primary school, female teachers are more. They're
    about 70 percent. I feel that it might be females are more suitable for
    this job.
        The President. And after the children complete 9 years of school,
    how is it determined who goes on to more school? Like this young woman
    here is a university student; how is it determined who gets to go beyond
    the first 9 years?
        Participant. In China, for the college entrance--there is a college
    entrance exam, so everybody has to pass the exam to go to the college.
    And others who didn't pass, then they might go to technical school to
    learn some special technique for their use.
        Participant. My name is Xie Liming. I have
    benefited the most ever since--my kind of people benefit the most ever
    since the reform. I served in the Air Force for 15 years and worked
    another 8 years in the Government. In 1992, I opened a small restaurant
    with 80 seats. Now I have expanded my restaurant to 500 seats.
        My restaurant is among the best in Xi'an and very influential. I
    really wish to invite both of you to go to my restaurant and enjoy my
    food. If you don't have the chance this time, you are still welcome
    after you finish your duty as President to come back. [Laughter]
        The President. Thank you.
        Participant. And I also want to ask what is your favorite Chinese
    dish? [Laughter]
        The President. Well, now I understand how you fill a restaurant with
    500 seats every night. [Laughter]
        Mrs. Clinton. I would wonder
    whether any of you might have any questions for us, because one of the
    reasons that my husband made this trip is so that the Chinese people and
    the American people can learn more about each other and about our lives.
        Participant. I want to ask the President why do you want to hold
    this roundtable discussion with ordinary Chinese people?
        The President. For two reasons. First of all, I think it's important
    that people who are in positions like mine, in the United States and in
    China, in every country, understand how people live at what we call the
    grassroots level, and understand how the policies we make affect the
    lives that people live, because that's actually the purpose of
    leadership, to try to make a positive difference in the lives of
    ordinary citizens.
        And secondly, because the American people are very interested in
    learning more about Chinese people as the result of my trip. So, when we
    do this, there will be pictures and reports of this meeting in America
    so people just like you in America will have a feeling for what

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    it's like to own a restaurant or teach a school or be a businessperson
    or be a student or a doctor or run a home for older people. They will
    feel these things in a different way because of this event we're doing
    here.
        Participant. I believe a President who is looking to the facts of
    people's life must be a President who is supported by his people.
        The President. Thank you.
        Mrs. Clinton. Could I ask the
    student, what are you studying at the university?
        Participant. I am now taking the basic college courses, but I want
    to major in electronics.
        The President. And what do you want to do when you finish your
    degree?
        Participant. I want to further my study after graduating from
    college, and then I want to have my own fields of interest in working.
        The President. Do you believe that in China today young women have
    the same opportunities that young men do to do whatever they want with
    their lives?
        Participant. I believe the answer is yes, even though they might
    have different choices, but the final answer is yes.
        The President. We have to stop in a moment, but I'd like to ask the
    doctor one more question. What do you believe the biggest challenge is
    for improving the health care of the Chinese people now at the village
    level? What is the largest remaining challenge that would--any change
    that could be made that would improve health much more?
        Participant. First of all, from my past experience, I believe the
    biggest challenge is to improve the environmental situation. Prevention
    is also very important.
        The President. This is a very important point which has been made--
    important for China and important for the United States. When a country
    grows economically, you use more energy and you have more activity, and
    it leads to strains on the environment, especially air pollution, which
    can really affect people's health. So one of China's big challenges, and
    a continuing challenge for America, is to grow the economy but to clean
    up the environment at the same time. And we can do both, but we have to
    work at it, and we should work at it together.
        Participant. I want to make one comment. All the businesspeople in
    Xi'an really want to improve the trade between the U.S. and China, and
    they would like to see that China become America's first biggest
    business partner. And I would, for myself, want to make more U.S.
    dollars. [Laughter]
        The President. Well, I'll work on that, and I will also work on
    accepting your invitation to come to your restaurant when I'm not in
    office anymore. This is very nice, you know. Most people in my position
    wonder if anyone will want us to eat with them when we're not in office
    anymore. [Laughter]
        Thank you all very much. Thank you. [Applause] Good luck to you.
    Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:40 a.m. in a courtyard in the village.