pd06jy98 The President's Radio Address...

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dialog with the Dalai Lama. Actually, as long as the Dalai Lama can 
publicly make the statement and a commitment that Tibet is an 
inalienable part of China and he must also recognize Taiwan as a 
province of China, then the door to dialog and negotiation is open. 
Actually, we are having several channels of communications with the 
Dalai Lama. So I hope the Dalai Lama will make positive response in this 
regard.

[[Page 1252]]

    Finally, I want to emphasize that according to China's constitution, 
the freedom of religious belief in Tibet and also throughout China is 
protected. But as the President of the People's Republic of China and as 
a communist member, a member of the communist party, I myself am an 
atheist. But this will by no means affect my respect for the religious 
freedom in Tibet.
    But still, I have a question. That is, during my visit to the United 
States last year and also during my previous visits to other European 
countries, I found that although the education in science and technology 
have developed to a very high level, and people are now enjoying modern 
civilization, but still quite a number of them have a belief in Lamaism. 
So this is a question that I'm still studying and still looking into. I 
want to find out the reason why.
    I think President Clinton is a strong defender of the American 
interests, and I am a strong defender of the Chinese interests. But 
despite that, we still can have very friendly exchanges of views and 
discussions. And I think that is democracy. And I want to stress that, 
actually, there are a lot of areas in which we can learn from each 
other.
    If you agree, we will finish this. [Laughter]
    President Clinton. I agree, but I have--you have to let me say one 
thing about the Dalai Lama. [Laughter]
    First, I agree that Tibet is a part of China, an autonomous region 
of China. And I can understand why the acknowledgement of that would be 
a precondition of dialog with the Dalai Lama. But I also believe that 
there are many, many Tibetans who still revere the Dalai Lama and view 
him as their spiritual leader.
    President Jiang pointed out that he has a few followers of Tibetan 
Buddhism, even in the United States and Europe. But most of his 
followers have not given up their own religious faith. He has followers 
who are Christians--supporters, excuse me, not followers, supporters--
who are Christians, who are Jews, who are Muslims, who believe in the 
unity of God, and who believe he is a holy man.
    But for us, the question is not fundamentally religious; it is 
political. That is, we believe that other people should have the right 
to fully practice their religious beliefs and that if he, in good faith, 
presents himself on those terms, it is a legitimate thing for China to 
engage him in dialog.
    And let me say something that will perhaps be unpopular with 
everyone. I have spent time with the Dalai Lama. I believe him to be an 
honest man, and I believe if he had a conversation with President Jiang, 
they would like each other very much. [Laughter]

Note: The President's 161st news conference began at 12:05 p.m. in the 
Western Hall of the Great Hall of the People. President Jiang spoke in 
Chinese, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. A portion of 
this news conference could not be verified because the tape was 
incomplete.


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[Page 1252-1253]
 
Monday, July 6, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 27
Pages 1243-1309
 
Week Ending Friday, July 3, 1998
 
Joint Statement on Anti-Personnel Landmines

June 27, 1998

    The United States and China reaffirm their commitment to ending the 
humanitarian crisis caused by the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel 
landmines (APL). They both maintain that efforts to eliminate the APL 
threat to civilians should be pursued consistent with national security 
requirements.
    The United States and China recognize the importance of the Amended 
Protocol II to the Convention on Conventional Weapons in addressing 
humanitarian concerns resulting from the indiscriminate use of 
landmines. They agree to work toward the early ratification of the 
Amended Protocol and urge others to ratify it as well.
    The United States and China agree to actively pursue at the 
Conference on Disarmament the commencement of negotiations on an anti-
personnel landmines transfer/export ban by supporting the prompt 
establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee.
    The United States and China commit to accelerate global humanitarian 
demining operations with the objective of eliminating the threat of 
anti-personnel landmines to civilians as soon as possible. The United 
States and China reaffirm their commitments to

[[Page 1253]]

furnish demining assistance, which could include mine awareness, 
training in mine clearance, and technology for detection and clearance, 
through appropriate channels to affected countries with the objective of 
promoting their indigenous capacity for humanitarian demining.

Note: The joint statement was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary but was not issued as a White House press release.


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[Page 1253]
 
Monday, July 6, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 27
Pages 1243-1309
 
Week Ending Friday, July 3, 1998
 
Joint Statement on the Biological Weapons Convention

June 27, 1998

    Recognizing the threat posed by biological and toxin weapons, the 
United States and China reaffirm their strong support for the complete 
global elimination of biological weapons. As States Parties to the 
Biological Weapons Convention, the two sides stress the importance of 
the Convention to international peace and security, fully support the 
purposes and objectives of the Convention, and favor comprehensively 
strengthening the effectiveness and universality of the Convention.
    The United States and China each reaffirm that they are determined 
to strictly abide by the provisions of the Convention, to earnestly and 
comprehensively fulfill the obligations each has undertaken, shall not 
develop, produce or stockpile biological weapons under any circumstances 
and shall oppose the proliferation of biological weapons and their 
technology and equipment.
    Both the United States and China support efforts to strengthen the 
effectiveness of the Convention, including the establishment of a 
practical and effective compliance mechanism. In this connection, the 
two sides positively appraise the work of the Ad Hoc Group set up for 
this purpose on negotiating a protocol to the Convention. The two sides 
believe the protocol must include efficient, practical and cost 
effective measures to deter proliferation or violation of the Convention 
and improve transparency. Appropriate measures should be formulated and 
implemented in a manner that takes into account protection of sensitive 
commercial information and legitimate security needs, and in light of 
relevant national laws and regulations. The two sides express their 
desire to cooperate in the negotiations and work together to further 
accelerate an early conclusion of the negotiations on the protocol.
    The United States and China agree that they shall strive to enhance 
bilateral cooperation and exchanges in the field of bio-technology and 
vigorously engage in and promote the peaceful use of biological 
technology.

Note: The joint statement was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary but was not issued as a White House press release.


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[Page 1253-1254]
 
Monday, July 6, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 27
Pages 1243-1309
 
Week Ending Friday, July 3, 1998
 
Remarks at a State Dinner Hosted by President Jiang in Beijing

June 27, 1998

    President Jiang, Madame Wang, members of the Chinese Government, 
fellow guests; I am honored to be here representing the people of the 
United States in the Great Hall of the People which reflects the 
impressive progress of the Chinese people in the 20th century.
    We Americans first saw it on our televisions 26 years ago when 
President Nixon became the first American leader to visit China. Those 
were the very first live pictures of China ever seen in my country. 
Across the United States, Americans were filled with great hope as 
relations resumed between our two great nations.
    That visit changed history. It reminded us of the warmth each nation 
felt for the other, long before the cold war. It recalled our alliance 
in World War II and our long history of commercial relations dating back 
to the infancy of the United States. We were trading together before our 
Constitution was written. Even the tea that our Founding Fathers threw 
into the Boston Harbor in 1773 to protest British taxes was from China.
    For most of our history we have looked upon China as a distant 
friend across the sea. As the Bamboo Curtain opened, Americans and 
Chinese learned about each other all over again. Starting with pandas 
and ping-pong players, we have built a broad and friendly relationship.
    Today China and the United States cooperate across a wide range of 
enterprises,

[[Page 1254]]

in business, in the arts, in the academic world, and in the personal 
friendship that unites Chinese and Americans. More than one million 
Americans trace their roots to China. Every day, Chinese Americans build 
a better America, as entrepreneurs and architects, artists and public 
servants. And we form lifelong bonds with the thousands of Chinese 
students who study with us every year, teaching us their culture as they 
learn from ours.
    Americans are proud that many of China's leaders spent time in the 
United States. Dr. Sun Yat-sen visited six times between 1896 and 1911, 
and he was in Denver when he learned he would become China's new leader. 
The great teacher, Hu Shi, was a student in New York when he pioneered a 
new system of expressing vernacular Chinese, an idea that changed China 
forever. I look forward to seeing Beijing University during its 
centennial year, a monument to Hu Shi and so many other friends of 
America.
    As two great nations, the world looks to us to set a good example. 
In the last few months, we have seen how much we can and must do 
together, in our strong response to the crisis in India and Pakistan, 
our efforts for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, our cooperation 
to stem the flow of dangerous weapons around the world. In so many 
different ways, we are upholding the teachings of Mencius, who said: ``A 
good citizen in one community will befriend the other citizens of the 
community; a good citizen of the world will befriend the other citizens 
of the world.''
    Mr. President, the American people admire the great strides China 
has taken. Your people are leading lives inconceivable just a generation 
ago. Your phenomenal growth over 20 years has opened new worlds of 
possibility, for jobs, for more schools, for greater mobility, for 
instant access to the outside world. We Americans appreciate the mutual 
respect of our relationship, a relationship based on cooperation, 
candor, and recognition of each nation's values and traditions.
    An ancient Chinese proverb tells us: ``Be not afraid of growing 
slowly; be only afraid of standing still.'' Let us commit to keep moving 
forward together, turning small steps into giant strides for our people, 
our nations, and the world.
    I ask you now to please join me in a toast to the President and the 
First Lady of the People's Republic of China and to the friendship 
joining our two peoples and the future we will build together. Gan bei.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 9:30 p.m. in the Banquet Hall 
of the Great Hall of the People. In his remarks, he referred to 
President Jiang Zemin of China and his wife, Wang Yeping.


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[Page 1254]
 
Monday, July 6, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 27
Pages 1243-1309
 
Week Ending Friday, July 3, 1998
 
Remarks at Chongwenmen Church in Beijing

June 28, 1998

    Thank you, Reverend Wu, Reverend Siu, Reverend Yin. Ladies and 
gentlemen, thank you for making me and my family and our party of 
Americans feel so welcome in your church today. We are a long way from 
home, but we felt very much at home with you here in this church.
    We celebrate with you the growth of the practice of our faith in 
China, and we rejoice to hear Reverend Siu cite the numbers of churches 
and other places of worship where people are practicing their faith 
today.
    The sermon today was on the unity of the church and our unity with 
God in the church. I would like to add only one point: I believe our 
faith calls upon us to seek unity with people across the world of 
different races and backgrounds and creeds. In the Book of Acts, the 
26th verse, it is said that God has made from one blood every nation to 
dwell on the surface of the Earth. I believe that is true. Therefore, I 
believe that Chinese and Americans are brothers and sisters as children 
of God. We come here in that spirit today, grateful for your welcome.

Note: The President spoke at 10:31 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to 
Rev. Wu Wei and Rev. Siu Zeshing, principal ministers, and Rev. Yin 
Hongtao, minister trainee, Chongwenmen Church. A tape was not available 
for verification of the content of these remarks.

[[Page 1255]]


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[Page 1255]
 
Monday, July 6, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 27

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