[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
[November 20, 2005]
[Pages 1748-1750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following Discussions With President Hu in 
Beijing
November 20, 2005

    President Hu. The honorable President, George W. Bush, dear friends 
from the media, ladies and gentlemen: I'm delighted to have this 
opportunity to meet with the press. And to begin with, I would like to 
extend a warmest welcome to President Bush. Welcome to China.
    Just now I had a friendly and candid talk with President Bush. The 
two sides were able to have an indepth exchange of views on the China-
U.S. relationship as well as on major international and regional issues 
of shared interest.
    We both are very delighted to see the good development in the China-
U.S. relationship over a recent period of time. We both believe that to 
keep the China-U.S. relationship on a track of sustained, healthy, and 
stable development is not only what is required by our times but also 
the shared aspiration of our two peoples.
    We both agree to view and handle the China-U.S. relationship from a 
strategic plane and in a long-term perspective, jointly acceptable by 
our common interests, properly handle each other's concerns, increase 
our mutual understanding, expand our common ground, and deepen our 
mutual trust, in an effort to comprehensively move forward the China-
U.S. constructive and cooperative relationship in the 21st century.
    We both believe that it serves the common interests of our two 
countries and two peoples to further expand the economic cooperation and 
trade between our two countries. The two sides will continue to follow 
the principle of equality, mutual benefit, and common development, and 
continuously expand the scope of our cooperation in an effort to achieve 
mutual benefit and win-win results.
    The two sides also expressed their willingness to join hands 
together to gradually achieve a balanced trade between China and the 
United States in the process of further expanding the trade between the 
two countries. The frictions and problems that may arise in this rapid 
development of the two-way trade may be properly addressed through 
consultations.
    I made it clear to Mr. President that the Chinese side is willing to 
step up its protection for intellectual property rights, enhance its 
efforts in fighting crime involving the violations of intellectual 
property rights, and stands ready to further increase its cooperation 
with the United States in this regard. We will follow the principle of 
benefiting not only China but also the world at large and unswervingly 
press ahead with the reform of the formation mechanism for the RNB 
exchange rate.
    We both indicated our willingness to deepen our counterterrorism 
cooperation on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit. The two 
sides have already reached a memorandum of understanding on their 
cooperation on the Megaport Initiative.
    We both agree to further expand the exchanges and cooperation 
between the two countries in such fields as culture, education, science 
and technology, and youth.

[[Page 1749]]

    We both believe that the spread and the possible spread to humans of 
the avian flu is a common threat facing all countries in this world, and 
we reached an agreement on strengthening a joint initiative on better 
cooperation in the prevention and control of the avian flu. And we will 
jointly support and take part in the prevention and control cooperation 
of avian flu in the region and the world at large.
    I reaffirmed to President Bush that the Chinese Government and that 
the Chinese people are committed to peace and stability in the Taiwan 
Strait, and we are ready to do our utmost with all sincerity to strive 
for the prospect of a peaceful reunification of our country. This being 
said, we will by no means tolerate so-called Taiwan independence. I 
highly appreciate that President Bush has, on various occasions, stated 
his commitment to the ``one China'' policy, the three Sino-U.S. joint 
communiques, and his opposition to so-called Taiwan independence. To 
oppose and check so-called Taiwan independence and safeguard peace and 
stability in the Taiwan Strait serves the common interest of China and 
the United States.
    We both believe that China and United States share broad, common 
interests on a number of important issues like the U.N. reform, the 
development issue facilitating the Doha round negotiations, addressing 
regional flashpoints, preventing and tackling terrorism, and preventing 
the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, preventing and 
controlling natural disasters, and controlling epidemic and other major 
diseases. And we also shoulder great common responsibilities in all 
those areas. The two sides both agree to step up their cooperation in 
the affairs in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world arena.
    We both said that major progress for current stage has been produced 
at the fourth round of the six-party talks, and as far as the first 
phase of the fifth round of the six-party talks is concerned, generally 
speaking, the atmosphere has been businesslike and pragmatic. The two 
sides will continue to work together with other parties involved to move 
forward the process of the six-party talks in an endeavor to peacefully 
resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula at an early date.
    Besides, I also briefed President Bush about China's unswerving 
commitment to a role of peaceful development and China's development in 
terms of democratic politics and human rights. China's commitment to a 
role of peaceful development is a choice that China must make in light 
of its national conditions. It's a choice that China must make on the 
basis of its historical and cultural heritage, and also a choice that 
China must make in light of the current trend in the development of the 
world. China's development is peaceful, open, and cooperative in nature.
    Ever since the founding of the People's Republic several decades 
ago, and particularly since the start of China's reforms and opening up, 
notable and historic progress has been made in China's development of a 
democratic political system and human rights. The Chinese people are 
exercising their right of democratic elections, democratic 
decisionmaking, democratic management, and democratic supervision, 
according to law.
    In the future, we'll continue to take into account China's national 
conditions and follow the wishes of the Chinese people and continuously 
build democratic politics of Chinese characteristics in the process of 
continuously raising the level of human rights enjoyed by the Chinese 
people.
    Win-win cooperation is the mainstream of the China-U.S. 
relationship. Given their different histories, cultures, and national 
conditions, it is inevitable that China and the United States may have 
some different opinions on some issues. The two sides ought to follow a 
spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving their 
differences and act on the basis of the basic norms governing 
international

[[Page 1750]]

relations and handle and advance their differences properly through 
dialog.
    President Bush issued a kind invitation to me for a visit to the 
United States, which I accepted with pleasure. Ladies and gentlemen, 
looking ahead, the Chinese side is willing to work together with the 
U.S. side to continuously move forward the China-U.S. relationship and 
continuously move forward the lofty cause of mankind, peace, and 
development, to the benefit of the Chinese and American peoples and 
people throughout the world.
    Thank you. Now the floor is yours, Mr. President.
    President Bush. Mr. President, thank you very much, and thank you 
for your hospitality. Laura and I are glad to be 
back in China. And I thank you for the constructive conversation we just 
had.
    The United States and China share many common opportunities and 
challenges in the 21st century. We're important trading partners. We 
benefit from a system of free and fair trade. We'll continue to work 
with China to open up markets and level the playing field for American 
goods and services and work with China to strengthen protection of 
intellectual property rights. And we'll continue to work with China to 
help implement its July commitment to a flexible market-based currency.
    It is important that social, political, and religious freedoms grow 
in China. And we encourage China to continue making the historic 
transition to greater freedom.
    The United States expresses our deepest condolences to China for the 
Chinese citizens killed in the terrorist attack in Amman, Jordan. 
Terrorism is a threat to both our countries, and I welcome China's 
cooperation in the war against terror.
    Our two nations seek a Korean Peninsula that is stable, at peace, 
and free of nuclear weapons. Thank you for taking a lead in the six-
party talks. The fourth round of the six-party talks in September ended 
with a joint statement in which North Korea committed to abandon all 
nuclear weapons and all existing nuclear programs. The United States 
expects them to honor that commitment.
    And we had a good talk about energy. China is a growing economy, and 
China recognizes, like the United States recognizes, in order to keep 
our economies growing in the years to come, we've got to share 
technologies and diversify away from hydrocarbons.
    Our two countries are working together to address the threat of the 
pandemic disease through the international partnership on avian and 
pandemic influenza. Mr. President, thank you for your lead on this 
issue. The President gave a very strong statement at APEC about the need 
for all of us to work together on a potential pandemic.
    The relationship between China and the United States is an important 
relationship. This trip will make it stronger. And, Mr. President, 
Laura and I look forward to welcoming you and 
Madam Liu to the White House next year. Thank 
you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 12:05 p.m. in the Hebei Room at the Great 
Hall of the People. In his remarks, he referred to Liu Yongqing, wife of 
President Hu.