Seeking Common Ground

President Jiang Zemin: The political disturbance that occurred at the turn of spring and summer in 1989 seriously disrupted social stability and jeopardized state security. Therefore, the Chinese government had to take necessary measures according to law to quickly resolve the matter to ensure that our country enjoys stability and that our reform and opening up proceed smoothly. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have long drawn the correct conclusion on this political disturbance. And facts have also proved that if a country with an over 1.2 billion population does not enjoy social and political stability, it cannot possibly have the situation of reform and opening up that we are having today.

President Clinton: . . . I believe that what happened and the aftermath and the continuing reluctance to tolerate political dissent [have] kept China from politically developing the level of support in the rest of the world that otherwise would have been developed. I also believe, as I said in my opening statement, that over the long run, the societies of the 21st century that will do best will be those that are drawing their stability from their differences, that out of this whole harmony of different views there is a coherence of loyalty to the nation. Because everyone has their say, it enables people to accept, for example, the results of the elections that they don’t agree with. . . .

ON U.S. CONCERNS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

Jiang: My stay here in the United States is rather a brief one. There is the fact that since I came here, I have been immersed in the atmosphere of friendship from the American people, and I was also accorded a warm reception from President Clinton and Vice President Gore. However, sometimes noises came into my ears. . . . And naturally, I am also aware that, in the United States, different views can be expressed, and this is a reflection of democracy. And, therefore, I would like to quote a Chinese saying, which goes, ‘Seeing it once is better than hearing about it 100 times.’

Clinton: I just have to say one other thing. First of all, the United States recognizes that on so many issues China is on the right side of history. And we welcome it. But on this issue we believe the policy of the government is on the wrong side of history. There is, after all, now a Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

ON TIBET AND RELEASING CHINESE DISSIDENTS

Jiang: To be frank with you, President Clinton discussed all these relevant issues with me. And I just want to state here that I am the president of the People’s Republic of China, not the chief judge of the Supreme Court of China. And as for the issues such as the one concerning [imprisoned dissident] Wei Jingsheng, this involves China’s criminal law and will be resolved gradually according to the legal procedure by the court of China.

ON NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

Clinton: President Jiang and I agreed that the United States and China share a strong interest in stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction and other sophisticated weaponry in unstable regions and rogue states, notably Iran. I welcome the steps China has taken and the clear assurances it has given today to help prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and related technology. . . . [U.S. moves to reciprocate] will allow our companies to apply for licenses to sell equipment to Chinese nuclear power plants subject to U.S. monitoring.