As an honored guest speaker at the China Sciences and Humanities
Forum in Beijing yesterday, former US president George H.W. Bush
recalled his first parachute jump over the Pacific Ocean during
World War II and his bicycle rides with his wife Barbara in
Beijing's hutongs more than 30 years ago.
Bush Snr said he had plans to do another parachute jump in June
and hoped a student from the packed audience in the auditorium of
the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences would
join him.
The 800 students and faculty members applauded Bush not only for
his humor but also for his personal view on US-China relations in
his words "a friend of China," or "lao peng you."
China and US relationships are what he believed to be "the most
important bilateral relationship that will affect peace and
prosperity in the 21st Century for all of you and students like you
in America," he said, adding now that he is retired, he could speak
candidly about the challenges facing both China and the US.
Calling the ongoing US-China Economic Strategic Dialogue
"breathtaking," he also pointed out that "in the spirit of
friendship and respect," it was important for China as well as the
US to address the causes of the huge trade imbalance, such as by
increasing domestic demand, protecting intellectual property rights
and making the exchange rate more flexible.
"These steps are critical," he said, as he was most worried that
"some of the leaders are anti-free trade; and more for
protectionism."
He said they wanted to address the trade imbalance with
legislation that "violates free and fair trade."
On regional security, he said China and the US should stand
together against the spread of nuclear weapons.
He noted that "Chinese leaders play a constructive role on the
world stage."
"I know the fundamental decency of China," he said.
He said he was aware of China's donations to tsunami-ravaged
areas of Indonesia and its constructive role in relief efforts in
Southeast Asia.
"This kind of multilateral approach by China would not be
possible 30 years ago, as it was the way China operated in those
days," he said.
This multilateral cooperation was very "vitally important," he
said, as countries work closely together on various fronts to fight
terrorism, ensure regional stability and deal with global warming
and environmental issues.
"I see our two nations working together on overlapping issues
and am confident we can make real progress in improving the quality
of life for the citizens not only of our two countries but
throughout Asia and the global community," he said.
(China Daily December 15, 2006)
