TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT 3/2 PRESS CONFERENCE IN BEIJING
(Engagement with China has helped progress on many issues)Beijing, China -- The United States remains strongly committed to principled and purposeful engagement with China, aimed at closer cooperation and concrete results, according to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
"To date our engagement strategy has helped us to achieve progress on issues such as non-proliferation, responding to the Asia financial crisis, and dealing with global problems," Albright said at a March 2 press conference in Beijing.
The United States and China share a strong interest in China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Albright said. However, she stressed, such accession "must occur on commercially viable terms."
"Trade Representative Barshefsky will be here tomorrow to resume negotiations," Albright said. "There remains much work to be done, but a successful outcome would be a giant step towards the integration of China into the world economy. It would also help address U.S. concerns about our mounting trade deficit with China and about barriers to market access for U.S. firms."
Albright said that human rights remained "the most difficult topic" during her meetings this week with Chinese officials.
"In the last two days, we have seen what a candid dialogue looks like," she said. "I made clear America's view that a society is more -- not less -- likely to be stable when citizens have an outlet for the peaceful expression of political views. Moreover, trying to organize a political party is not a threat or a crime; it is a right guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
Albright said that over the past several years China "has allowed and, at times, encouraged a substantial widening in the economic and social freedoms of the Chinese people."
"There have been meaningful elections at the village level. Public discussion of political reform and the rule of law has broadened. China has signed but not yet ratified two international conventions on human rights," she said.
"We believe it is China's interest to continue moving in the direction of greater openness, not because we urge it, but because it serves China's own aspirations," she said. "As President Clinton has observed, a nation that has unleashed the energies, and nourished the talents of a free people will be better able to flourish in the new global economy than a society weighted down by the repressive habits and thinking of the past."
Following is the official transcript of the press conference:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN
(Beijing, China)
March 2, 1999PRESS CONFERENCE BY
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
(Beijing International Club Hotel)ALBRIGHT: Good morning. Before departing Beijing, I thought I would share a few thoughts concerning my visit.
This was very much a working trip, and I had serious and substantive discussions and meetings with President Jiang, Premier Zhu, Vice Premier Qian and Foreign Minister Tang. I was also able to meet informally with Chinese experts on current trends in this country and will meet with representatives of the American business community.
In addition I had an interesting visit with reporters and producers from the television program "Focal Point," which has gained a reputation for exposing corruption.
The central message I conveyed throughout my visit is that the United States remains strongly committed to principled and purposeful engagement with China, aimed at closer cooperation and concrete results.
To date our engagement strategy has helped us to achieve progress on issues such as non-proliferation, responding to the Asia financial crisis, and dealing with global problems.
As evidenced by my meetings yesterday and today, the depth and ease of our discussions even on difficult issues has expanded dramatically.
As permanent members of the Security Council, the U.S. and China have important matters to discuss from the Gulf and Middle East to the Balkans and South Asia. Our perspectives often differ, but our efforts to identify areas of agreement and minimize conflict have yielded dividends both for the region and the world.
Our dialogue has also provided an opportunity to address ongoing security issues such as the stability on the Korean Peninsula and the importance of preventing a rise in tensions across the Strait of Taiwan.
During my discussions this week, Chinese officials expressed concern about the possible deployment in the region of systems for theater missile defense. I replied that, instead of worrying about a decision that has not been made to deploy defensive technologies that do not yet exist, China should focus its energies on the real source of the problem -- the proliferation of missiles. Nothing would be more stabilizing for the region than North Korean restraint on missile development and testing. Nothing would better serve China's interest than using its developing dialogue with Taiwan to build mutual confidence and reduce the perceived need for missiles or missile defense.
On the economic front, the United States and China share a strong interest in China's accession to the WTO. But this must occur on commercially viable terms. Trade Representative Barshefsky will be here tomorrow to resume negotiations. There remains much work to be done, but a successful outcome would be a giant step towards the integration of China into the world economy. It would also help address U.S. concerns about our mounting trade deficit with China and about barriers to market access for U.S. firms.
The most difficult topic in our meetings this week was human rights. The Chinese have expressed unhappiness with our condemnations of recent unjustified arrests and trials and with last week's State Department report documenting widespread human rights violations. But the United States will never apologize for speaking or publishing the truth.
Last June, our two Presidents agreed to a candid dialogue on human rights. In the last two days, we have seen what a candid dialogue looks like. I made clear America's view that a society is more -- not less -- likely to be stable when citizens have an outlet for the peaceful expression of political views. Moreover, trying to organize a political party is not a threat or a crime; it is a right guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Over the past several years, China's government has allowed and, at times, encouraged a substantial widening in the economic and social freedoms of the Chinese people. There have been meaningful elections at the village level. Public discussion of political reform and the rule of law has broadened. China has signed but not yet ratified two international conventions on human rights. We believe it is China's interest to continue moving in the direction of greater openness, not because we urge it, but because it serves China's own aspirations.
As President Clinton has observed, a nation that has unleashed the energies, and nourished the talents of a free people will be better able to flourish in the new global economy than a society weighted down by the repressive habits and thinking of the past. All told, it's fair to say that in our relations with China, these are neither the best of times nor the worst of times.
The United States remains fully committed to its goal of moving towards a constructive strategic partnership with China. Our relationship, while still well short of this goal, has reached the point where it can withstand even sharp disagreements; and it's a sign of its value that our agenda remains rich in subjects of regional and global importance.
In closing, I want to extend a somewhat belated wish of a "Happy New Year" to all the people of China, and to thank my Chinese hosts for their hospitality.
We look forward to the planned visit of Premier Zhu to Washington next month. And we will continue to explore every avenue for enhanced cooperation with China to the benefit of both our countries, Asia and the world.
And now I would be very glad to respond to your questions.
Q: Madame Secretary, in your meeting with President Jiang Zemin did you ask him to do anything specific to improve the human rights situation in China? For example, did you urge him to ratify the covenants or release any dissidents? Thank you.
ALBRIGHT: Well, let me just say, not only in my meeting with President Jiang and various other high level members of the Chinese government, we didn't come here with a package of things that had to be done. But I made very clear in all the meetings that it was very important for there to be a change in the atmosphere, that there had to an end to the crackdown, there had to be the release of people. And I raised the issue of Tibet, that it was very important to have a systemic look at the whole rule of law, and that it was very important for them to ratify these covenants. So there is a set of issues that we talk about, but we didn't come here with a specific package. I did raise the whole problem and have made quite clear the fact that we deplore the recent crackdowns.
Q: I would like to ask Ms. Albright one question about the TMD. Because we know both sides are concerned about this question that you mentioned before. Chairman Jiang is "concerning this question" and our President Mr. Lee Teng-Hui -- he accepted an interview from the Financial Times in London, and he said Taiwan will strive to enter TMD because he thinks by doing this we can have more bargaining chips with China to negotiate with China. What's your comment on that? And will you be more specific on what Chairman Jiang said about his worrying about TMD? Would you tell us more about that? Thank you.
ALBRIGHT: Well, first of all let me repeat what I said in the statement, what the theatre missile defense is -- there have been no decisions to deploy a system that doesn't exist, and I think therefore a lot of this is hypothetical. But what is not hypothetical is the threat of missile proliferation generally, and this was a discussion that I had with President Jiang and with others, again with Vice Premier Qian Qichen and with the Foreign Minister, that we are concerned, generally, about the threat of missile proliferation, primarily from North Korea, and I think that this is an issue that we have to work on together. As far as Taiwan itself is concerned we have always said that we would like to see a peaceful resolution and spoke about the importance of having a cross-strait dialogue, that has been our position. We believe that that is the best way to achieve what is necessary.
Q: Madame Albright, you spoke at the beginning about your commitment to engagement. Can you point to anything in particular in this visit that will strengthen your position when you go back to Washington and you have to address those in Congress and elsewhere who do not believe that engagement has been worthwhile?
ALBRIGHT: Well, I think that my own sense from being here on -- this is my fifth visit -- and having spent a lot of time now talking to the Chinese leadership, either here or in Washington, that there is a great deal to a principled and purposeful engagement -- that we have a number of issues that we work on together. And the non-proliferation issue, I think, is one of the key ones where I believe that there has been systematically an approach by the Chinese to become part of the various non-proliferation regimes and an understanding that we are commonly threatened by a proliferation of missile technology and their role in the Four-Party talks. Generally their discussions with us about regional stability -- I think that is very useful.
I think it's also been useful, as China is a permanent member of the Security Council, to talk about other issues that are out there, that are of concern -- the Balkans and the Middle East. And I think that we do recognize the importance of having a strategic dialogue with them. Now, I also do believe, and obviously Ambassador Barshefsky is coming here tomorrow to pick this up, is that we have the possibility of improving our trade relations with the Chinese to do something about lowering the size of the deficit, which is of concern to Americans, and to have a WTO accession on commercially viable terms. So I do think that dealing with the trade issues is also important.
Let me just make one other point back on the proliferation issues. I think they also have been helpful in dealing with the India/Pakistan issues and we started out specifically when the problem happened of having a common meeting of the permanent five and the Chinese have been very helpful on that.
Q: Madame Secretary, I wanted to focus on a comment you made earlier, just now, about the right to organize political parties being not a threat or crime but indeed a right under the covenant. Does this mean that you see true multi-party politics to be a prerequisite for the kind of Chinese society that you think is one that respects human rights and that until there are multi-party politics in China one cannot feel comfortable about the state of human rights here?
ALBRIGHT: Well I think there are a number of components to what we talked, importance of human rights. I listed them earlier. I think that this all goes back to the statements that the President has made about the fact that societies -- the most stable and reform minded societies are those that in fact allow for the free expression and free association of its people. That is the best way to answer questions that people have about how a society works. I find that what has happened on the human rights dialogue, which is interesting is that 15 years ago nobody ever talked it. Now it is a subject of discussion. And while we do not agree on various portions, it is something that is talked about and very much a part of what I did here and what will happen when Premier Zhu comes to Washington.
I do think that there are -- the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated a number of rights that people have. And I do believe that the right of association and the right of free speech is something that is very important. And if living up to international standards is what we're all trying to do, that is not interference in domestic affairs, it is very much a subject that is appropriate for discussion. I do think that a multi-party system -- as a political scientist I have to say that I do think that that is an important prerequisite of an open society.
Q: Madame Secretary, what kind of agenda do you expect from Premier Zhu's visit to Washington next month? Presumably, we can expect WTO negotiations to crawl along at a snail's pace. At the same time, the Premier does not have a foreign policy brief at a time when as you point out, missile proliferation, regional security, are issues of paramount importance.
ALBRIGHT: Well I think that -- we'll have to see where the WTO is. I think that we are hoping very much for increased flexibility. We believe that having a WTO accession is important both for the United States and China. As Ambassador Barshefsky comes here to discuss a new proposal with the Chinese, that there is a good chance that we can move that process forward. I do think also though that there will be other subjects of discussion with Premier Zhu and non-proliferation and human rights and the economic reform system as a whole I think will be very much subjects of discussion. It will be a full visit where no subjects are off the table.
Q: It was reported in your meeting with Vice Premier Qian Qichen, you mentioned the recent controversy about the Court of Final Appeal. What is your concern on this issue and what is the Chinese leaders' response? Thank you.
ALBRIGHT: Our concern on this issue was to make sure that the status of Hong Kong was respected and that the independence of the judiciary was respected and that the various components of the basic law continued to be in effect. Vice Premier Qian Qichen explained that the situation had in many ways been resolved. But we will continue, I think, to watch very carefully what happens in Hong Kong because it is of great concern to us.
Q: Recently the Chinese decision to veto the extension of the United Nations forces in Macedonia can be seen as the first real entrance of China in European politics. So the Taiwan issue can be a global issue also considering the deployment of UN forces in other countries. Does the United States think of extending some talks and some consultations with China also in other areas where the Taiwan issue could be a problem, such as Africa or Latin America, where there are countries that recognize Taiwan (inaudible)?
ALBRIGHT: I raised this issue with the Vice Premier as well as with the foreign minister. And it is of concern to us that an issue that is not a multi-lateral issue has become embroiled in a multi-lateral discussion -- especially one that is so important as UNPREDEP, which has played a very important role in stabilizing the Balkans. I did speak about the importance of this. This is a subject that has come up before when I was Ambassador at the UN on some other peacekeeping operations. I hope very much that China's role as a permanent role of the Security Council will be seen as one -- that they will see it as one in which there are responsibilities that come with that that do not allow this particular issue cloud the goals.
Q: I'd just like to go back to the point that you made before about WTO. Just to confirm that the United States believes that if China joins the WTO that it will make it easier to reduce China's deficit with the United States. In relation to that, if China and America are unable to reach agreement on China joining the WTO by the end of Zhu's visit, what stance will America take towards the deficit?
ALBRIGHT: First of all let me say that we are concerned about the deficit. It's big and it's growing and it has to be addressed. We do believe that market access, opening up the markets, and WTO accession will help that. I believe that with Ambassador Barshefsky coming here this process will move forward. And so I don't want to answer your second question as being hypothetical.
Q: I would like to know if there is a secret deal between U.S. and India on CTBT? Thank you.
ALBRIGHT: A secret deal? Not that I know of, no. (Laughter.) If it's a secret... (Laughter.) No, there isn't.
Thank you.
(end transcript)
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