[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 11 (Monday, March 21, 1994)]
[Page 508]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Group of Seven 
Ministers in Detroit

March 14, 1994

Interest Rates

    Q. Mr. President, do you think rising interest rates are hurting the 
U.S. economic recovery?
    The President. I don't think we can say that for sure yet. They were 
bound to go up some after the fourth quarter growth figure came in; we 
had the highest growth rate in a decade. But I think that since there's 
no inflation in the economy, interest rates should not continue to go 
up. We'll see. If they moderate, tail off, then we'll be all right.

China

    Q. Is the U.S., Mr. President, backing away from its human rights 
stand in terms of MFN for China?
    The President. I was disappointed at the results of the meeting with 
the Secretary of State. And our policy is the same. We'll just have to 
wait and see what happens between now and June. I'll make a judgment at 
the appropriate time.

Note: The exchange began at 9:25 a.m. at the Westin Hotel. A tape was 
not available for verification of the content of this exchange.