TRANSCRIPT: CLINTON Q&A WITH REPORTERS ON CHINA JUNE 24, 1998
(Calls Radio Free Asia interview proof "ideas do not need visas")Washington -- President Clinton says the interview he granted the Radio Free Asia (RFA) correspondents who were denied the Chinese visas they needed to cover his visit to China was meant "to send a clear signal that we do not believe ideas need visas and that we support freedom of the press in our country."
The President made the point during a brief question and answer session with reporters following a June 24 Oval Office ceremony at which he signed legislation designed to punish parents who do not pay legally required child support.
"We don't live by money alone, or even power alone," Clinton said, "but also by our ideas and convictions." He called China's decision to bar entry to the RFA correspondents "a mistake" and "ironic," given that the Chinese have recently "granted more visas to more journalists from more different media outlets than they ever have before."
Following is the complete White House transcript of Q&A with reporters immediately following formal remarks by the President at the child support ceremony in the Oval Office June 24:
(begin transcript)
Q: Mr. President, hasn't this latest rebuff by China cast a really severe pall over your trip to China now? They've really turned you down -
PRESIDENT CLINTON: You mean the Radio Free Asia thing?
Q: -- on special appeal -- visas.
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I think they made a mistake and before I leave here, as a matter of fact in just a few minutes, I'm going to do an interview with Radio Free Asia correspondents to send a clear signal that we do not believe ideas need visas and that we support freedom of the press in our country.
I think in a way it will help to highlight some of the very important issues that we wanted to discuss. I hope that this trip will not only allow me to learn more about China and allow the American people to learn more about China but will help me to explain America and what we believe in and why to not only the government but to the people of China and this is a good beginning here.
Q: Well, have they encouraged you to --
PRESIDENT CLINTON: And this is a good beginning here. I will do my best to do that. I think they made a mistake. And as I said the ironic thing is the Chinese grated more visas to more journalists from more different media outlets than they ever have before. So they were actually showing a greater openness than they have and because they reversed themselves on the Radio Free Asia visas, for reasons I don't understand, they have denied themselves that credit. So, I intend to press this issue by doing the interview in just a few minutes.
Q: Is this going to mean that it will be harder for you to reach agreements with the Chinese on detargeting nuclear missiles, on market access -- is this disagreement going to make that a harder process?
PRESIDENT CLINTON; I don't know. I hope that we can deal with all these issues independently. I think the Chinese understand, as we do, we've got a big common stake in non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I expect to make some progress. We have a big stake in the Asian economic situation and the difficulties there. We have a big stake in our own bilateral economic relations and the impact that a lot of this will have in terms of integrating China into the global economy.
So I would think that they would not let this get in the way of what is in their self-interest, just as I won't let it get in the way of what is in the interest of the United States, but our values are an important part of our interest.
We don't live by money alone, or even by power alone, but also by our ideals and convictions, so I think it is important to point this up. But I also think it's important that you see it in it's proper framework.
The irony -- as I said, this is an ironic situation because the Chinese granted more visas to more different media outlets apparently than ever before. They granted this visa and then reversed themselves. I think it was a mistake and I'll do my best to make it clear why.
Q: Are you going to see the dissidents now -- I mean, as a retaliation?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I'm going to see a number of people from different elements of Chinese society, and I'm going to do what I think is best to promote the cause of human rights.
Q: Is the White House taking any symbols of democracy, as has been suggested by some Republican lawmakers such as copies of the American flag or the Constitution?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I'm sorry, I don't have anything to say about that.
Q: What about detargeting? You didn't mention that specifically and I had asked you about it. Do you see an agreement on that?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I think it would be a good thing if we could reach an agreement on it. I think it does two things. It literally delays significantly the amount of time it takes to arm a missile and aim it, therefore, eliminating the possibility of accidental firing. And it also really increases, I think, the confidence between the countries that were moving to reduce the nuclear threat. So I hope we can do that but I don't know yet. I don't have an announcement to make. But you know -- I've made it very clear that I would like to do that.
Thank you very much.
(end transcript)
Return to The United States and China.
Return to USIA International Home Page.