[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 16 (Monday, April 24, 2006)]
[Pages 741-745]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With President Hu Jintao of China and an
Exchange With Reporters
April 20, 2006
President Bush. The President and I will make opening statements.
We'll be glad to answer two questions from each side.
Mr. President, welcome. We've just had yet another constructive
dialog. I enjoy my visits with President Hu. He tells me what
[[Page 742]]
he thinks, and I tell him what I think, and we do so with respect.
China has important relations with the United States. We obviously
have commercial relations that are important. We're working on issues
like Iran and Sudan. We've got a mutual interest in seeing that the
Korean Peninsula is nuclear weapons-free. We spent time talking about
Taiwan, and I assured the President my position has not changed. I do
not support independence for Taiwan.
We don't agree on everything, but we're able to discuss our
disagreements in a spirit of friendship and cooperation. So it's a very
important relationship.
And, Mr. President, thank you for your frankness and for our
discussions.
President Hu. To begin with, I would like to thank President Bush
for his kind invitation and the generous hospitality accorded to me. And
just now I had a pragmatic and constructive dialog with President Bush,
and during that meeting, President Bush and I had in-depth exchange of
views on the China-U.S. relationship and major regional, as well as
international, issues of mutual interest.
We have reached important agreement at the meeting. We both agreed
that under the new circumstances, given the international situation
here, that China and the United States share extensive, common strategic
interests and there is a broad prospect for the mutually beneficial
cooperation between the two countries. A good China-U.S. relationship is
of strategic significance to the maintenance and promotion of peace,
stability, and development in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world
at large.
We both agreed to view and address the bilateral relationship from a
strategic and long-term perspective, and we both agreed to
comprehensively move forward the constructive and cooperative China-U.S.
relationship in the 21st century, to the benefits of the Chinese and
American peoples and peoples around the world.
And during the meeting, I stressed the importance of the Taiwan
question to Mr. President. Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese
territory, and we maintain consistently that under the basis of the
``one China'' principle, we are committed to safeguard peace and
stability in the Taiwan Straits, and to the promotion of the improvement
and development of the cross-straits relations. We have the utmost
sincerity, and we will do this to our utmost, with all sincerity, to
strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. This being said, we
will by no means allow Taiwan independence.
President Bush gave us his understanding of the Chinese concerns. He
reiterated the American positions and said that he does not hope that
the moves taken by the Taiwan authorities to change the status quo will
upset the China-U.S. relationship, which I highly appreciate.
We both agreed to work together to promote the development of the
economic ties and trade between the two countries on basis of a mutual
benefit in seeking win-win outcomes. As for the differences, or even
frictions between the two countries in this regard, we both believe that
they may be properly resolved through consultations on an equal footing.
Both Mr. President and I spoke highly of the outcomes from the 17th JCCT
meeting which was held not long ago.
President Bush and I also agreed that the two countries need to
further increase their exchanges and cooperation in the military, law
enforcement, science and technology, culture, education, and other
fields. We also both agreed to further step up our dialog and
cooperation in such fields as counterterrorism, nonproliferation, the
prevention and control of the avian influenza, energy, environmental
protection, disaster prevention and relief, and other major issues.
Both sides agreed to continue their efforts to facilitate the six-
party talks to seek a proper solution to the Korean nuclear issue, and
both sides agree to continue their efforts to seek a peaceful resolution
of the Iranian nuclear issue.
I assured Mr. President that China is willing to work together with
the United States and other countries in the world in a joint endeavor
to build a harmonious world featuring enduring peace and shared
prosperity.
President Bush. Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, Associated Press].
[[Page 743]]
Chinese Currency/Democracy in China
Q. Thank you, sir. President Hu, when will China become a democracy
with free elections? And President Bush, why have you not been able to
persuade China to more quickly revalue its currency?
President Bush. Last July, the Chinese made a major decision on
their currency. There's been some appreciation in the currency. We would
hope there would be more appreciation in the currency.
Q. President Hu?
President Hu. I don't know--what do you mean by a democracy? What I
can tell you is that we've always believed in China that if there is no
democracy, there will be no modernization, which means that ever since
China's reform and opening up in the late 1970s, China, on the one hand,
has vigorously promoted economic reforms, and on the other, China has
also been actively, properly, and appropriately moved forward the
political restructuring process, and we have always been expanding the
democracy and freedoms for the Chinese citizens.
In the future, we will, in the light of China's own national
conditions and the will of the Chinese people, continue to move ahead
the political restructuring and to develop a socialist democracy, and we
will further expand the orderly participation of the Chinese citizens in
political affairs so that the Chinese citizens will be in a better
position to exercise their democratic rights in terms of democratic
supervision, democratic management, and democratic decisionmaking.
President Bush. Do you want to call on somebody from the Chinese
side?
China-U.S. Relations/Trade
Q. I have a question for President Hu Jintao. And how do you view
the problems and disputes between China and the United States in the
field of economic ties and trade? And in your view, what kind of
measures shall we take to properly resolve these issues?
President Hu. The economic ties and trade between China and the
United States are an important component--the China-U.S. relationship as
a whole. And in this economic ties and trade, I think that mutually
beneficial cooperation and win-win outcomes represent the mainstream.
Although the two countries do have different opinions or sometimes
even frictions in this relationship, what has happened has proven that
all these issues or differences can be properly resolved through
consultations on a equal footing and further expansion of the mutually
beneficial cooperation.
We understand the American concerns over the trade imbalances, the
protection of the intellectual property rights, and market access. We
have taken measures, and we'll continue to take steps to properly
resolve the issues.
China pursues a policy of boosting domestic demand, which means that
we'll mainly rely on domestic demand expansion to further promote the
economic growth of the country. We do not pursue a excessively high
trade surplus.
We have already launched the reform of the RMB Chinese currency
exchange rate regime, which has paid off initially. And in the future,
we'll continue to make efforts to improve the RMB exchange rate regime.
We'll continue to expand the market access and increase the import
of American products. As a matter of fact, lately, a delegation composed
of Chinese businesspeople have been to the United States, and during
their trip, they have totally signed 107 commercial contracts or
agreements with a total value of over 16.2 billion U.S. dollars.
The U.S. technology products export to China, particularly in the
field of the export of high-tech products, are quite incompatible with
the economic might of the United States. I hope that the United States
Government will be able to relax or ease the restrictions imposed on its
export, particularly high-tech export to China. And we also hope that
the U.S. Government will be able to create a level playing field for
Chinese businesses who want to enter the American market. And this will
certainly help bring down the trade deficit of the United States. And
this will also contribute to the further sound and stable growth of the
trading ties and economic cooperation between the two countries.
President Bush. Let me say something on this. First of all, it was a
very comprehensive answer, and I appreciate that, Mr. President. I am
heartened by the President's answer because he recognizes that a trade
deficit with
[[Page 744]]
the United States as substantial as it is, is unsustainable.
I appreciate his statement very much, because the American people--
all we want to do is be treated fairly in the international marketplace.
He's used the word ``win-win,'' and that's a very important concept when
it comes to economics that are mutually beneficial. Market access is
very important, and I appreciate your commitment to that, Mr. President.
What also is very much important is that for the--as the Chinese
society evolves, that it becomes an economy that is not export-driven
but consumer-driven. I appreciate the Government's commitment to that
evolution, because as there's more consumers and market access, it will
mean that U.S. small businesses and businesses and farmers will have a
chance to be able to find new markets. Obviously, the Chinese Government
takes the currency issue seriously, and so do I. And finally, I want to
remind our citizens, as the President said earlier, exports to China are
up by 21 percent. And that means jobs.
And so we're going to continue to work on this very important
relationship to make sure the playing field is level.
Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].
Iran/North Korea
Q. Thank you. President Bush, have you presented President Hu to go
along with tougher actions against Iran, if necessary, such as
sanctions? And President Hu, is there more you can do to influence North
Korea to give up nuclear weapons?
President Bush. The first goal of any dialog with a partner with
whom we're trying to create peace is to have a common objective, a
stated goal. And we have a common goal, and that is that Iran should not
have the nuclear weapon, the capacity to make a nuclear weapon, or the
know-how to how to make a nuclear weapon.
And the second goal is to be in a position where we can work on
tactics. And one of the tactics that I've been talking to the President
about is the use of the United Nations Security Council Chapter VII to
send a common message to the Iranians that China and the United States
and EU-3 countries, all deeply are concerned about the Iranian ambition.
China is an important voice in international affairs. And I will
continue to work with the President to strategize as to how best to
achieve our important goal, which is a--an Iran without the capacity,
the know-how, or a nuclear weapon.
President Hu. As our friends may know, that the nuclear issue on the
Korean Peninsula, China has always been persuading the parties for their
reconciliation and promote the talks for peaceful solution. And we have
always been making constructive efforts to denuclearize the Korean
Peninsula.
It is exactly thanks to the concerted efforts of the parties
involved that in September last year, the six parties had their fourth-
round talks and successfully concluded a joint statement as a initial
result, which has not come easily.
The six-party talks have run into some difficulties at the moment. I
hope that the parties will be able to further display flexibility, work
together, and create necessary conditions for the early resumption of
the talks.
China-U.S. Cultural Exchanges
Q. Mr. President, good morning. I would like to know, what is on
your mind and what kind of things you can do to facilitate the people-
to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries?
President Bush. I remember giving--well, the first graduation speech
I ever gave as President was to Notre Dame. And I was--I distinctly
remember the--a number of Chinese students that were there who had
gotten advanced degrees. And it's a vivid reminder that one of the best
ways for there to be exchange is for there to be exchange of students. I
think the more U.S. students who study in China, and the more Chinese
students who study in the United States will lead to lasting
understanding, which is very important for future relations.
Obviously, there will be exchanges in the arts. There's a great
interest in the United States about the Chinese arts and the history of
Chinese arts. There's going to be sports exchanges. Yao Ming, I mean,
he's a perpetual exchange. He's a great player, and he's here all the
time. The Olympics will bring
[[Page 745]]
a great opportunity for us to have interchange. There's all kinds of
ways for the United States and Chinese people to get to know each other,
and I look forward to encouraging those kind of avenues of dialog.
Presidents can talk, but sometimes the best way to have lasting
friendship is for there to be a lot of people-to-people exchanges.
Thank you very much.
Note: The President spoke at 11:16 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
House. In his remarks, he referred to Yao Ming, center, National
Basketball Association's Houston Rockets. President Hu and two reporters
spoke in Chinese, and their remarks were translated by an interpreter.