Spin of New Chinese Book Positive for U.S., Clinton

Soon to be found on bookshelves across China: the Bill Clinton-Jiang Zemin story.

Although not nearly as titillating as some of the sagas now circulating in Washington, this 237-page glossy paperback with smiling Presidents Clinton and Jiang on the cover is still something of a political milestone.

For one thing, few other government-authorized books in recent memory have offered such a positive spin on the United States.

Besides eight pages of color photographs from Jiang’s Oct. 26-Nov. 3 official visit to the United States, the book, “Building a Constructive China-U.S. Strategic Partnership,” includes two short speeches in their original English and translated Chinese delivered by Clinton during the summit.

Jiang’s speeches during the summit are also reproduced in English and Chinese.

Described in a promotional poster as “indispensable for party and government organs, social groups, foreign affairs organizations, education and research institutions,” the book was unveiled at a Foreign Ministry news conference here Wednesday.

Guo Chongli, chief editor of the state-owned World Affairs Press publishing house, said the book will be formally presented at the annual national book fair that begins Friday here in the Chinese capital.

Guo said the book, with an initial press run of 11,000 copies, will be widely promoted across China and sold for 18 renminbi ($2.20) in the national Xinhua bookstores.

At least as important as the content of the text--mostly fairly tame political speeches by the two leaders and fawning editorials from the People’s Daily and other publications--is the presentation.

The cover photograph of Jiang and Clinton is framed by a border of linked Chinese and American flags. The promotional poster shows more photos of Jiang smiling and laughing with American leaders including Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and others.

Liu Xiaoming, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry department responsible for U.S.-China relations, said the book “embodies a historic moment in international relations.” In domestic political terms, it is something of a boon for Jiang in his quest to be portrayed inside China as a statesman recognized by the world’s most powerful leaders.

The book contains some references to bilateral problems, including “major differences on the question of human rights.” But it makes no mention of the Oct. 29 White House news conference in which Clinton and Jiang, who is also China’s Communist Party chief, engaged in a brief, pointed debate over the bloody 1989 army crackdown in Tiananmen Square.

Responding then to questions from reporters, Clinton said the Chinese government was “on the wrong side of history” in the Tiananmen episode. In the news conference Wednesday, Guo explained the conspicuous lapse by saying, “If we included all the materials in the book, it would have been too thick.”