Jiang, Clinton to Meet in Private at White House on Eve of Summit
One day before a much heralded summit, President Clinton will meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in the privacy of the White House residence tonight to build a personal relationship that might help them narrow differences.
Administration officials said Monday that the leaders will talk informally for about an hour without other officials present. It will be more of a social meeting than an attempt to address disputes about human rights, trade and arms sales, the officials said.
The purpose is to try to build the same kind of ties with Jiang that Clinton has found effective in problem-solving with other major leaders, such as Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Jiang will arrive in Washington this afternoon after a rest stop in Williamsburg, Va., Monday night that followed an initial stopover in Honolulu.
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