[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 47 (Monday, November 28, 2005)]
[Pages 1754-1759]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters in Beijing

November 20, 2005

President's Visit to China/Domestic Debate on Iraq

    The President. Thank you all. We started our day here going to a 
church service that was really uplifting. I was--I wasn't sure what to 
expect, and I can tell you that the service was full of spirit, and the 
preacher gave a really good sermon. She was--I'm sure you made her 
nervous with all the cameras and everything, but she was really good. 
And it was a wonderful way to start the morning.
    As I mentioned to the President as well as to you all on the steps 
of the church, a society that welcomes religion is a wholesome society; 
it's a whole society. And I felt

[[Page 1755]]

like the church service was a affirmation of my strong belief that 
people should be able to worship freely, and I shared that with 
President Hu.
    I was also pleased with our talks with both President Hu and Premier 
Wen. We have a complex relationship, and it's a really important 
relationship. I mean, China is a big, growing, strong country. And it's 
very important for me to maintain a good working relationship with the 
leadership here. And we've got that. And the reason that's important is 
that it enables me to talk about the values that are important to 
America. It also enables me to talk about the interests of our workers 
and farmers. China is a trading partner, and we expect the trade with 
China to be fair. We expect our people to be treated fairly here in this 
important country.
    And so I had a chance to talk about a variety of subjects, 
intellectual property rights and the currency, access to our markets for 
U.S. beef. And it was a good, frank discussion.
    Finally, I had a bike ride. I'd like to clarify my comments. 
Compared to Crawford, this trail is a great bike trail and really 
difficult. It is clear that I couldn't make the Chinese Olympic cycling 
team. But I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun to ride with those 
six young Chinese athletes, and I hope they enjoyed it as well. It was a 
good experience.
    There's also an important debate underway back in Washington about 
the way forward in Iraq. I particularly want to discuss the position 
that Democrat Congressman John Murtha announced this past week. Let me 
start off by saying that Congressman Murtha is a fine man, a good man, 
who served our country with honor and distinction as a marine in Vietnam 
and as a United States Congressman. He is a strong supporter of the 
United States military. And I know the decision to call for an immediate 
withdrawal of our troops by Congressman Murtha was done in a careful and 
thoughtful way.
    I disagree with his position. An immediate withdrawal of our troops 
from Iraq will only strengthen the terrorists' hand in Iraq and in the 
broader war on terror. That's the goal of the enemy. They want to break 
our will in Iraq so that we leave and they can turn Iraq into what 
Afghanistan was under the Taliban, a safe haven for terror, a place 
where they can plot and plan attacks against America and freedom-loving 
countries around the world.
    Our military strategy is aimed at targeting the terrorists and 
training the Iraqis. Iraq authorities have made clear they want us to 
help them. They want us to help them defeat the terrorists, and they 
want us to train their own security forces, which is what we're doing.
    I also recognize that the Iraqi people look forward to the day when 
Iraqi forces can secure their country and defend their freedom. It's 
only natural that the Iraqi people look forward to the day when they're 
fully prepared to defeat this enemy. I look forward to the day when the 
Iraqis are fully prepared to do that.
    And we're making good progress. More and more Iraqis are taking the 
fight to the enemy, and day by day, they're assuming more responsibility 
for their own security. And as the Iraqi security forces gain strength 
and experience, we can lessen our troop presence in the country without 
losing our capability to effectively defeat the terrorists. A reduced 
presence of coalition forces will clearly demonstrate to the Iraqi 
people that we have no ambitions to occupy their country. As I've often 
said, we'll stay as long as necessary but not one day more.
    Yet, leaving prematurely will have terrible consequences for our own 
security and for the Iraqi people. And that's not going to happen so 
long as I'm the President.
    This is a debate worthy of our country. It's an important debate. It 
does not have to be a partisan issue. Fine Democrats like Senator Joe 
Lieberman share the view that we must prevail in Iraq. Bipartisan 
majorities in the House and the Senate rejected calls for immediate 
withdrawal. My decisions in Iraq will continue to be guided by the sober 
judgment of the military commanders on the ground in Iraq. Those elected 
leaders in Washington who do not support our policies in Iraq have every 
right to voice their dissent. They also have a responsibility to provide 
a credible alternative. The stakes are too high and the national 
interest too important for anything otherwise.

[[Page 1756]]

    Now I'll be glad to answer some questions, starting with Jennifer 
[Jennifer Loven, Associated Press].

China and Freedom

    Q. Thank you, sir. Can you talk about why you have chosen to talk 
more about the need for greater religious freedoms in China than the 
need for greater political freedom?
    The President. Well, they go hand in hand. A society which 
recognizes religious freedom is a society which will recognize political 
freedoms as well. China has undergone an amazing transformation in its 
economy. It's a much freer economy than any time in its past. And as a 
result, the people are becoming more prosperous. I've always believed 
that a free economy will yield a freer political system.
    I think about South Korea. South Korea opened its economy up, and 
then political reforms followed. And part of a system which recognizes 
the right of people to express themselves is a system which also 
recognizes the right of people to worship freely. And in my discussions 
with the leadership in China, of course, I talked about both political 
and religious freedom.
    Caren [Caren Bohan, Reuters].

Discussions With President Hu

    Q. Do you feel that you got the commitments that you sought from 
President Hu on issues like currency reform and trade? And also, are you 
concerned about a crackdown reported on Chinese dissidents ahead of your 
visit?
    The President. I'm always concerned about somebody who is trying to 
express themselves in the public square, express their opinion, being 
cracked down by a state. And it's--again, in my discussions with 
President Hu, I talked about a variety of concerns, one, that the NGOs 
here in China ought to be treated fairly, secondly, that we have given 
the Chinese Government a list of dissidents that we believe are 
improperly imprisoned.
    I talked about the Dalai Lama. I thought it would be wise for the 
Chinese Government to invite the Dalai Lama so he can tell them exactly 
what he told me in the White House the other day, that he has no desire 
for an independent Tibet. I talked about the Catholic Church, the need 
for this Government to invite leaders from the Vatican to come and 
discuss religious freedoms in China. So we discussed a lot of areas of 
concern about the condition of the dissidents and people who want to 
express themselves.
    In terms of the currency, this Government made a decision last July 
to reform their currency. It was a structural reform, and I applaud 
that. I also reminded the leaders that we've seen some movement but not 
much in the currency valuation. And I explained to them as clearly as I 
could that the value of the Chinese currency is very important for 
manufacturers and farmers and workers in the United States.
    In terms of intellectual property rights, that's been a concern that 
many have expressed to me in our country and wanted me to express to the 
leadership in China. And I made it clear that if you've got a vibrant 
economy and people feel uncomfortable about the piracy of product, that 
it's going to affect the economy in the long run. And they recognize 
that. As a matter of fact, Premier Wen went through a list of crackdowns 
this Government has taken on intellectual property rights.
    I talked about market access, the need to make sure that we've got 
access to Chinese markets like they've got to ours. And that's a very 
important subject in America, as you know, and it's one that I relayed 
to both President Hu and Premier Wen. I applauded the fact that through 
hard work, that we came up with a good textile agreement, which was 
important. I was pleased to see that the Chinese Government ordered 
Boeing aircraft.
    The relationship, however, is one that it's got to be close enough 
that we can--need to consistently remind our Chinese friends that 
structural reform is really what the United States Government is talking 
about with China.
    Let's see--Bill Roberts [Bloomberg News].

Domestic Debate on Iraq

    Q. Thank you, Mr. President.
    The President. Yes.
    Q. It used to be that it was said that politics stopped at the 
water's edge. On this trip,

[[Page 1757]]

clearly, the debate over Iraq has followed you. Were you at all 
disappointed by that? And why do you think it is that the Iraq debate in 
the last week has been so intense?
    The President. Well, I'm not surprised that people are talking about 
Iraq. Iraq is a vital issue for the United States of America. And it's--
we're at war, and people, of course, have got strong opinions about war. 
On the trip here, by the way, I was most pleased that many of the 
leaders at the APEC conference understood the stakes in Iraq, that a 
democracy in the heart of the Middle East will make the entire world 
more peaceful.
    It's--this is a worthy debate, and I'm going to repeat something 
I've said before. People should feel comfortable about expressing their 
opinions about Iraq. I heard somebody say, ``Well, maybe so-and-so is 
not patriotic because they disagree with my position.'' I totally reject 
that thought. This is not an issue of who's patriot and who's not 
patriotic. It's an issue of an honest, open debate about the way forward 
in Iraq.
    I am confident we will succeed in Iraq. I'm confident that the Iraqi 
forces will be trained. I am confident the political process will, 
slowly but surely, marginalize those that are trying to stop the march 
of democracy. And I also know that we have got to make sure that Iraq 
does not become a safe haven for terrorists. It's very important for--
during this debate to listen to the words of Zawahiri, who's the number 
two man of Al Qaida, where he has made it very clear that his intention 
and the intention of his henchman, Zarqawi, is to drive us out of Iraq 
before we have completed the mission.
    And there's a reason why he wants us out of Iraq, because he wants 
Iraq to be a safe haven. He wants to be able to find a place where he 
and his forces can plot and plan against the United States of America. 
They were--the Al Qaida, the enemy was able to do just that in 
Afghanistan. They plotted and planned a monstrous attack on the United 
States of America. And that attack of September the 11th is a lesson we 
should never forget.
    Secondly, a democracy in Iraq is going to send a clear example of 
what is possible to other reformers in the region. There are people in 
Iran that are interested in freedom. And when Iraq succeeds, the people 
in Iran will see what is possible, that it's possible to have a 
government that actually listens to the people and responds to the needs 
of the people. A free Iraq will send a clear example to the Palestinians 
of what is possible in the Middle East. I believe there will be a 
Palestinian state that is democratic in nature and at peace with its 
neighbor, Israel. Lebanon is an example of a society which is shedding 
itself of a--of its neighbor, Syria, and it's strengthening its 
democracy.
    You know, it's interesting here in the Far East that we have this 
discussion about Iraq, and it's an appropriate place to think about the 
stakes in Iraq, because, after all, Japan was our sworn enemy. And after 
World War II, the Japanese adopted a Japanese-style democracy, which 
yielded a peaceful partner, an ally. It's amazing to think that in 60 
years Japan has gone from enemy to ally in keeping the peace. The spread 
of democracies here in the Far East have made this part of the world a 
peaceful region.
    And so the stakes are enormously high in Iraq, and I can understand 
why there's a debate. And I suspect there's going to be a debate for a 
long time coming in Iraq, as there should be. This is a serious matter 
of national concern.
    Let's see--Suzanne [Suzanne Malveaux, CNN].

Representative Murtha/U.S. Strategy in Iraq

    Q. If I could follow up on your comments on Congressman Murtha. You 
said that he was a fine man and that he probably made this in a 
thoughtful manner. Congressman Murtha has also used the fact that 
neither you nor the Vice President has served in combat as part of his 
criticism of Iraq policy as well as the administration's campaign to 
defend it. Do you believe that that is relevant to the debate? And is 
there any concern that the attacks on either side are becoming overly 
personal?
    The President. I don't think the Vice President's service is 
relevant in this debate. And I would hope all of us in this debate talk 
about the policy and have an honest, open debate about whether or not it 
makes sense to immediately withdraw our troops.

[[Page 1758]]

My position is very clear: It does not make sense. It will make America 
less secure. Iraq is a battlefront in the war on terror, and it's vital 
that we succeed in this particular battle in the war on terror.
    And our strategy is proceeding. There's a political strategy, and as 
I said the other day, I said a couple of times, the progress in Iraq is 
amazing when you think--the political progress. I mean, they've gone 
from tyranny to the election of a Transitional National Government, to 
the ratification of a constitution. And they're about to have elections 
again. And all this took place in 2\1/2\ years. When you compare it to 
our own history, our road was quite bumpy getting to a constitution. And 
so the progress is strong.
    The other progress that's being made is the training of the Iraqi 
forces. And more and more of the forces are more capable of taking the 
fight to the enemy. And as that happens and as our commanders on the 
ground inform me that Iraq's security can be maintained by Iraqi troops, 
we will adjust accordingly.
    Let's see--Mike [Mike Allen, Washington Post].

Religious Freedom in China

    Q. Thank you very much, Mr. President. If I might follow up 
Jennifer's question. When you expressed to President Hu the importance 
of people being able to worship freely, did he express any interest in 
helping people of various faiths do that? Did he make any commitment to 
you for improvements? And Mr. President, how repressed or restricted do 
you believe Christians are right now in this country?
    The President. It's a really interesting question. You know, Dr. 
Luis Palau was with me, and we spent time in the limousine on the way to 
the church talking about his views of Christianity here in China. He 
believes there are about a hundred million Christians, and that they 
are--they're worshiping in a way that is able to call upon the Almighty 
to help them through their lives. And that's the spirit I found in the 
church.
    President Hu is a thoughtful fellow. He listened to what I had to 
say. And I thought it was very interesting in his comments that he 
talked about human rights. Those who watch China closely would say that 
maybe a decade ago a leader wouldn't have uttered those comments. He 
talked about democracy. And so to answer your question, he took it on 
board in a very thoughtful manner.
    Herman [Ken Herman, Austin American-Statesman], last question.

China-U.S. Relations

    Q. Respectfully, sir--and you know we're always respectful--
[laughter]----
    The President. Most of the time.
    Q. ----in your statement this morning with President Hu, you seemed 
a little off your game. You seemed to hurry through your statement, and 
there was a lack of enthusiasm----
    The President. When? Here, right now?
    Q. No, this morning with President Hu. Was something bothering you? 
Were you tired?
    The President. Have you ever heard of jetlag?
    Q. Yes, sir.
    The President. Well, good. That answers your question.
    Q. There was nothing he said, I mean, in the meeting?
    The President. No, not at all. Listen, the relationship with China 
is a good, vibrant, strong relationship. And we have frank discussions, 
and that's what you want at my level of Government. You want to be able 
to sit down with somebody and say, ``Look, here are my concerns.''
    I always say that the relationship between America and China is an 
important relationship. This is a booming economy. This is a--China is a 
big presence in Asia. And it's very vital for the United States to have 
a relationship where I can sit down and say, ``Look, the trade policy 
must take into consideration your currency, must take into consideration 
our desire to sell you beef, must take into consideration intellectual 
property rights.'' And I can do that in such a way that he doesn't say, 
``I'm tired of listening to you.'' It's a--it's an important 
relationship.
    We have--we're working together with North Korea. The leader in 
North Korea has--must abandon his nuclear weapons programs in a 
verifiable fashion. The Chinese

[[Page 1759]]

understand that and have accepted that position. The fact that China and 
the United States can work on this issue as equal partners is important 
for the stability of this region and the world.
    In other words, my point to you is, is that we've got a very vibrant 
relationship. I don't know what I sounded like during my discussion. As 
you know, I don't spend a lot of time analyzing myself and, obviously, 
you do. But----
    Q. We have a lot of time on our hands, Mr. President. [Laughter]
    The President. Yes, you do. [Laughter] But I am pleased that I am in 
a--I am in a position to be able to explain to President Hu, as clearly 
as I can, my concerns and my appreciation for different aspects of our 
relationship.
    Thank you all very much.

Note: The President spoke at 6:12 p.m. at the St. Regis Hotel. In his 
remarks, he referred to Ying Dufeng, pastor, Gangwashi Protestant 
Church; President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao of China; the Dalai 
Lama of Tibet; senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; Ayman Al-
Zawahiri, founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and senior Al Qaida 
associate; Luis Palau, founder, Luis Palau Association; and Chairman Kim 
Chong-il of North Korea. A tape was not available for verification of 
the content of these remarks.