pd06jy98 The President's Radio Address...

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democracy.
    For all of our agreements, we still disagree about the meaning of 
what happened then. I believe and the American people believe that the 
use of force and the tragic loss of life was wrong. I believe and the 
American people believe that freedom of speech, association, and 
religion are, as recognized by U.N. Charter, the right of people 
everywhere and should be protected by their governments.
    It was to advance these rights that our Founding Fathers in our 
Declaration of Independence pledged our lives, our fortunes, our sacred 
honor. Fifty years ago, the U.N. recognized these rights as the basic 
freedoms of people everywhere.
    The question for us now is how shall we deal with such disagreements 
and still succeed in the important work of deepening our friendship and 
our sense of mutual respect?

[[Page 1248]]

    First, we Americans must acknowledge the painful moments in our own 
history when fundamental human rights were denied. We must say that we 
know, still, we have to continue our work to advance the dignity and 
freedom and equality of our own people. And second, we must understand 
and respect the enormous challenges China has faced in trying to move 
forward against great odds, with a clear memory of the setbacks suffered 
in past periods of instability.
    Finally, it is important that whatever our disagreements over past 
action, China and the United States must go forward on the right side of 
history for the future sake of the world. The forces of history have 
brought us to a new age of human possibility, but our dreams can only be 
recognized by nations whose citizens are both responsible and free.
    Mr. President, that is the future America seeks to build with China, 
in partnership and honest friendship.
    Tomorrow, Hillary and I will visit the Great Wall. The wall's 
builders knew they were building a permanent monument, even if they were 
unable to see it finished in their lifetimes. Likewise, we know we are 
building a friendship that will serve our descendants well, even if we, 
ourselves, will not see its full development across the next century and 
into the new millennium. Our friendship may never be perfect; no 
friendship is. But I hope it will last forever.
    President Jiang. Now President Clinton and I are prepared to answer 
your questions, and now I'd like to give the first question to President 
Clinton.
    President Clinton. Which--Chinese journalists, one of you? In the 
back there, yes? Yes, ma'am, go ahead.

Asian Financial Situation

    Q. Thank you. I'm a correspondent with the Phoenix TV of Hong Kong. 
In the recent Asian financial crisis, the Chinese Government has pledged 
to maintain the value of RMB Asian currency and, thus, making positive 
contribution to stabilizing the situation in Asia. And this has 
attracted positive reaction from the international community and from 
the U.S. Government. However, yesterday, the exchange rate between 
Japanese yen and the U.S. dollar dropped again to a low of 143 yen 
against one dollar, and which was closed at 141 yen against one dollar. 
So, what specific common measures are the Chinese and the U.S. 
Government prepared to take to stabilize the financial situation in Asia 
and the world?
    The President. Well, first of all, let me agree with you. I think 
that China has shown great statesmanship and strength in making a strong 
contribution to the stability not only of the Chinese people and their 
economy but the entire region, by maintaining the value of its currency.
    The United States, as you know, has worked hard to try to support 
the stability of the Japanese yen and to help growth resume in Japan. I 
think that what we have agreed to do is to continue to do whatever we 
can to promote stability and to support policies within Japan that will 
restore confidence in the economy, get investment going again, and get 
growth going.
    The key here, I believe, is for the plans to reform the financial 
institutions in Japan and take other steps that will get growth going 
and get investments going in Japan to be made. I think that, ultimately, 
President Jiang and I would give anything to be able to just wave a wand 
and have all of this go away. We are not the only actors in this drama, 
and a lot of this must be done by the Japanese Government and the 
Japanese people. We can be supportive, but they have to make the right 
decisions.

Human Rights

    Q. My question to President Jiang and also to President Clinton is, 
we know that there were four dissidents in Xi'an who were arrested 
earlier and three were released, and one of them is still under 
detainment. And I would like to know if you talked about the issue. And 
what about the rest 2,000 dissidents who are being reported still under 
imprisonment right now in China? Can both of you elaborate on that? 
Thank you.
    President Jiang. In our talks just now, President Clinton raised 
this issue. We adopt an attitude of extending very warm welcome to the 
visit to China by President Clinton.
    As for the matter you raised, I think you're referring to the 
incident in Xi'an, and I think

[[Page 1249]]

in China there is no question that there is no restriction whatsoever on 
the coverage and interview by the reporters and the correspondents 
within the scope of law. But as for some activities that have been 
detrimental or have prejudiced the security, then the local authorities 
should take measures to deal with them, and it is also understandable.
    As for the question you raised, actually, I do not have very 
detailed information in this regard. But as for the latter part of your 
question concerning 2,000 dissidents, I think in China we have our laws. 
And in China's constitution, it is clearly stipulated that the Chinese 
citizens have the freedom of speech, but any law-breaking activities 
must be dealt with according to law. I think this is true in any country 
of rule of law. And I think China's judicial departments will deal with 
the matter according to law.
    I want to ask that I believe that the vast majority of the 
correspondents and the reporters are willing to promote the friendship 
between China and the United States through President Clinton's visit to 
China this time. However, before President Clinton's visit, I read some 
reports from some media and newspapers saying--alleging China had been 
involved in so-called political contributions in the United States. I 
really think it very absurd and ridiculous, and I think they are sheer 
fabrications. China can never do such a thing and China never interferes 
in other country's internal affairs.
    Actually, at the talks this morning, President Clinton also asked me 
of this question. And I told him that after hearing of such an 
allegation, we conducted very earnest investigation into the matter. And 
the results of the investigation shows that there was never such a 
thing.
    Recently, in my meetings with many foreign visitors and visiting 
leaders of other countries, I often said to them that as countries in 
the world have different social systems and values, it is something that 
should be allowed that they may have different understandings about one 
fact. And this actually, itself, is a representation and the 
manifestation of democracy.
    However, what is important is that the fact itself should not be 
distorted.
    I'm sorry I've taken up too much of the time, and I now invite 
President Clinton to say a few words.
    President Clinton. Well, we did discuss the questions you raised. 
And of course, I made my views known about the recent detentions 
yesterday. On the larger question you raised, I actually made a couple 
of specific and practical suggestions about how we might take our dialog 
further there.
    There are some people who are incarcerated now for offensives no 
longer on the books in China, reflecting real progress in present 
Chinese practice and the Chinese, in my view; we should acknowledge 
that. But the question then arises is there some way that these people 
might be released? Is there some procedure through which we could move? 
There are some people imprisoned for nonviolent activities in June of 
'89. Is there something that could be done there?
    There are some other practical things we discussed, which I think it 
would be premature to ask the Chinese Government to make a statement on 
now because we just have had these discussions. But I want to say to all 
of you that the atmosphere--whatever your position on these issues is, 
and particularly if you agree with me, I think you should at least 
appreciate the fact that we now have an atmosphere in which it is 
possible for us to be open and honest and in great detail about this and 
that there are legitimate and honest differences in the way we look at 
this. But I believe that we are making progress, and I believe that we 
will make more.
    I remember the things that I specified in my statement about that. 
You can see that neither one of us are shy about being strong about how 
we believe about this. And I think that we have them in the public 
debate now, we have them in the private discussions, and we just have to 
keep pushing forward in trying to work through it.

Nuclear Detargeting Agreement

    Q.  President Jiang spoke of China's position against the first use 
of nuclear weapons and the policy of the United States does not agree 
with. Was this discussed in the context of negotiations on the 
detargeting agreement? And where are any U.S. concessions

[[Page 1250]]

in order to obtain the detargeting agreement?
    President Clinton. Well, the short answer to your question and the 
accurate one is, no, but I don't want it to be a misleading answer. That 
is, you well understand that our position on that issue is a product of 
decades of experience in a former time. We have not changed our 
position, nor are we prepared to do so on that.
    But this was a mutual decision we made because we both felt that, 
number one, if we detargeted, we would completely eliminate the prospect 
ever of any kind of accidental launch, and number two, we would take one 
more step in showing mutual confidence and trust in one another, and 
number three, it would be a helpful signal as a counterweight to the 
recent nuclear tests in India and Pakistan. And so we agreed that it was 
in both our interests to do this on its own terms.
    President Jiang. I would like to make a brief explanation. As I 
stated just now, President Clinton and I decided that China and the 
United States would not target the strategic nuclear weapons under their 
respective control at each other. Full stop--that's a full stop. And 
then this demonstrates to the entire world that China and the United 
States are partners, not adversaries. Full stop again. [Laughter] And 
then I said, I hereby reiterate, that since the very first day that 
China came into possession of nuclear weapons, China has undertaken not 
to be the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances. Full 
stop. That's my view. That's our view.

Human Rights

    Q. My question is to President Jiang. At his opening statement, 
President Clinton expressed appreciation of the achievements made by the 
Chinese Government in respecting human rights. At the same time, he also 
said that China and the United States also had difference of views over 
this matter. So my question is, what is the position of the Chinese 
Government on the human rights issue?
    President Jiang. China and the United States have differences of 
views and also have common ground on the human rights issue. More than 
2,000 years ago, a great thinker of China's Han Dynasty, Dong Zhongshu, 
once said, ``Of all the living things nurtured between heaven and the 
Earth, the most valuable is human beings.'' So the Chinese nation always 
respects and maintains the dignity and rights of the people. Today the 
Chinese Government solemnly commits itself to the promotion and the 
protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
    The United States is the most developed country in the world, with a 
per capita GDP approaching 30,000 U.S. dollars, while China is a 
developing country with a population of 1.2 billion, with a per capita 
GDP of less than 700 U.S. dollars. As the two countries differ in social 
system, ideology, historical tradition, and cultural background, the two 
countries have different means and ways in realizing human rights and 
fundamental freedoms. So it's nothing strange that we may have some 
difference of views over some issues.
    China stresses that the top priority should be given to the right to 
subsistence and the right to development. Meanwhile, efforts should be 
made to strengthen democracy and the legal system building, and to 
protect the economic, social, cultural, civil, and the political rights 
of the people.
    I listened very carefully to what President Clinton said just now, 
and I noticed that he made mention of the political disturbances 
happened in Tiananmen in 1989, and he also told the history of Tiananmen 
and told of the things that happened in Tiananmen.
    With regard to the political disturbances in 1989, the Chinese 
people have long drawn a historical conclusion. During my visit to the 
United States last year and also on many international occasions, I have 
stated our position that with regard to the political disturbances in 
1989, had the Chinese Government not taken the resolute measures, then 
we could not have enjoyed the stability that we are enjoying today.
    China is a socialist country in which its people are masters of the 
nation. The Chinese people can elect their own representatives to the 
people's congresses through direct or indirect means, and they can fully 
express their views and exercise their political rights. In the two 
decades since the reform

[[Page 1251]]

and opening up program was started, the National People's Congress of 
China has adopted more than 320 laws and acts, thus, constantly 
strengthening the legal protection of the democracy, fundamental 
freedoms, and the various rights enjoyed by the Chinese people. Over the 
past two decades, another 200 million people in China were lifted out of 
poverty.
    No country's human rights situation is perfect. Since the founding 
of new China, the fundamental changes and the tremendous achievements 
that have been achieved, that have been scored in the human rights 
conditions in China are for all to see. I'd like to know whether 
President Clinton will have anything more to add.
    President Clinton. I would like to add a comment. First of all, I 
think this debate and discussion today has been a healthy thing and a 
good thing. Secondly, I think to understand the priority that each 
country attaches to its own interpretation of this issue of human 
rights, you have to understand something of our history.
    The Chinese who are here understand better than I the price paid 
over time at various moments in history for disruption and upheaval in 
China, so there is an understandable desire to have stability in the 
country. Every country wants stability.
    Our country was founded by people who felt they were abused by royal 
powers, by people in power, and they wanted to protect their personal 
liberties by putting limits on government. And they understood--they 
understood clearly, that any system--because human beings are imperfect, 
any system can be abused.
    So the question for all societies going forward into the 21st 
century is, which is the better gamble? If you have a lot of personal 
freedom, some people may abuse it. But if you are so afraid of personal 
freedom because of the abuse that you limit people's freedom too much, 
then you pay, I believe, an even greater price in a world where the 
whole economy is based on ideas and information and exchange and debate 
and children everywhere dreaming dreams and feeling they can live their 
dreams out.
    So I am trying to have a dialog here that will enable both of us to 
move forward so that the Chinese people will get the best possible 
result. I believe stability in the 21st century will require high levels 
of freedom.
    President Jiang. I'm sorry, I have to take up an additional 5 
minutes. [Laughter] So I'd like to say a few words on Dalai Lama. 
President Clinton is also interested in this question, in Dalai Lama. 
Actually, since the Dalai Lama left in 1959, earth-shaking changes have 
taken place in Tibet.
    First, the system of bureaucracy has forever become bygones, though 
it is unfortunate that the disappearance of this bureaucracy was much 
later than the demise of bureaucracy in Europe before Renaissance. And 
the more than one million serfs under the rule of the Dalai Lama were 
liberated. In 1990 when I was in Tibet, I went to visit the liberated 
serfs. And now the system of national autonomy is in practice in Tibet, 
and the people there, they have their Tibetan autonomous region 
government.
    Since I came to work in the central government, I have urged the 
rest of the 29 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions to 
assist Tibet in its development, even including those provinces that are 
not very developed, such as Qinghai Province. So altogether, nearly 8 
billion RMB-yuan financial resources were raised and already 62 projects 
have been completed in Tibet.
    As for the freedom of religious belief, there is fierce stipulations 
in our constitution for the protection of religious belief, and this 
also includes in Tibet. And we have also spent a lot of money in 
renovating the lamasis and temples in Tibet. And we have spent 100 
million RMB-yuan and one ton of gold in renovating the Budala Palace.
    Just now President Clinton also mentioned the Tibetan issue and the 

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