President Bush speech at Tsinghua University
Vice President Hu, thank you very much for your kind and generous remarks. Thank you for welcoming me and my wife, Laura, here.
I see she's keeping pretty good company with the secretary of state, Colin Powell. It's good to see you, Mr. Secretary.
And I see my national security adviser, Ms. Condoleezza Rice, who at one time was the provost of Stanford University, so she's comfortable on the university campuses such as this.
Thank you for being here, Condi.
I'm so grateful for the hospitality and honored for the reception at one of China's and the world's great universities.Tsinghua university was founded, interestingly enough, with the support of mycountry, to further ties between our two nations. I know how important thisplace is to your Vice President. He not only received his degree here, butmoreimportantly, he met his gracious wife here.
I also thank the students for giving me the chance to meet with you, the chance to talk a little bit about my country, and answer some of your questions.
The standards and reputation of this university are known around the world, and I know what an achievement it is to be here. So congratulations.
I don't know if you know this or not, but my wife and I have two daughters who are in college, just like you. One goes to the University of Texas, one goes to Yale. They're twins. And we are proud of our daughters just like I'm sure your parents are proud of you.
My visit to China comes on an important anniversary, as the vice president mentioned. Thirty years ago this week an American president arrived in China on a trip designed to end decades of estrangement and confront centuries of suspicion. President Richard Nixon showed the world that two vastly different governments could meet on the grounds of common interest in the spirit of mutual respect.
As they left the airport that day, Premier Zhou En-Lai said this to President Nixon: ``Your handshake came over the vastest ocean in the world -- 25 years of no communication.''
During the 30 years since, America and China have exchanged many handshakes of friendship and commerce. And as we have had more contact with each other, the citizens of both countries have gradually learned more about each other. And that's important.
Once America knew China only by its history as a great and enduring civilization. Today we see a China that is still defined by noble traditions of family, scholarship and honor. And we see a China that is becoming one of the most dynamic and creative societies in the world, as demonstrated by the knowledge and potential right here in this room.
China is on a rising path, and America welcomes the emergence of a strong and peaceful and prosperous China.
It was my honor to visit China in 1975. Some of you weren't even born then. It shows how old I am.
A lot has changed in your country since then. China has made amazing progress in openness and enterprise and economic freedom. And this progress previews China's |