[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 32 (Monday, August 18, 2008)]
[Pages 1123-1124]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Hu Jintao of China in Beijing

August 10, 2008

    President Hu. I'm very happy to meet you again, President Bush. And 
I would like to welcome you and your family members to Beijing for the 
opening ceremony of the Olympic games and also to watch the games. This 
is already your fourth visit to China, and this has certainly made you a 
American President that visited China more than any other U.S. President 
while in office. This is a good test to the importance you've placed on 
U.S. relations with China.
    I know that the day before yesterday, you attended the inauguration 
of the U.S. Embassy in China, and the new Chinese Embassy in the United 
States was inaugurated at the end of July. And all this must further 
growth of China-U.S. relationship.
    Now the various events of the Beijing Olympic games are underway 
smoothly. And I know you just came here from swimming center, and I 
would like to offer you my sincere congratulations on the excellent 
performance of Mr. Phelps.
    President Bush. Thank you. [Laughter]
    President Hu. We are confident that he will score even better 
achievements in the coming games.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir.
    President Hu. I would also like to mention the unfortunate happening 
yesterday. Yesterday two American tourists were attacked and one was 
killed; the another was injured. And I would like to take the 
opportunity--please accept my profound sympathy to you, Mr. President, 
and the family members of the victims. The Chinese side takes this 
unfortunate incident very seriously. Yesterday I already instructed the 
competent official in charge of the Chinese Foreign Ministry to go to 
the hospital to see the injured. We take this case very seriously, and 
we have already instructed the competent authorities to carry out a very 
serious investigation and handle the case in accordance with law. We'll 
keep in touch with the U.S. side on the latest developments.
    We're now willing to listen to your views, Mr. President.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. First, Mr. President, thank you for 
your hospitality. I am so honored that you would invite my wife, my 
daughter, my father, my brother, my sister, and sister-in-law to lunch. 
And I congratulate you on the opening ceremonies. I'm not sure what it 
looked like on TV, but I can tell you what it looked in person; and it 
was spectacular.
    And we are enjoying the games and, matter of fact, looking forward 
to tonight's big game, U.S. men's versus China men's basketball. 
[Laughter] Somebody asked me if we were going to make a bet on the game. 
I said, I don't think so.
    I do want to thank you very much for how you handled--I do want to 
thank you very much, Mr. President, for how you handled the situation 
with the Bachman family. And I thank you for your expressions of 
sympathy. And the Ambassador informs me that your Government has been 
very attentive and very sympathetic, and I appreciate that a lot.
    Today--I mean, every time I come to China, I have memorable 
experiences. I enjoy our conversations that we have. As you know, our 
relationship is constructive, and it's important. And it's also very 
candid, and I thank you for that.
    And once again, I had a very uplifting experience by going to a 
church, and I want to thank you for arranging that as well. It was a 
spirit-filled, good feeling. And as you know, I feel very strongly about 
religion, and I am so appreciative of the chance to go to church here in 
your society.

Note: The President spoke at 12:25 p.m. in Han Yuan Dian Hall at the 
Zhongnanhai. In his remarks, he referred to Todd and Barbara Bachman, 
who were attacked on August 9 while touring the Drum Tower in Beijing; 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi of China; and U.S. Ambassador to 
China Clark T. Randt, Jr. He also referred to his daughter Barbara P. 
Bush; his brother Marvin P. Bush and his sister-in-law Margaret Bush; 
and his sister, Dorothy Bush Koch. President Hu referred to Michael 
Phelps, swimmer, U.S. Olympic team. President Hu spoke in Chinese, and 
his remarks were translated by an interpreter. A tape was not available 
for verification of the content of these remarks.

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