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State, Colin Powell. It's good to see you, Mr. Secretary. (Applause.) And
I see my National Security Advisor, Ms. Condoleezza Rice, who at one time
was the provost at Stanford University. So she's comfortable on university
campuses such as this. Thank you for being here, Condi. (Applause.)
I'm so grateful for the hospitality, and honored for the reception at one
of China's, and the world's, great universities.
This university was founded, interestingly enough, with the support of my
country, to further ties between our two nations. I know how important this
place is to your Vice President. He not only received his degree here, but
more importantly, he met his gracious wife here. (Laughter.)
I want to 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.
(Applause.) 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 Enlai 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. (Applause.)
As America learns more about China, I am concerned that the Chinese people
do not always see a clear picture of my country. This happens for many
reasons,
and some of them of our own making. Our movies and television shows often
do not portray the values of the real America I know. Our successful
businesses show a strength of American commerce, but our spirit, community
spirit, and contributions to each other are not always visible as monetary
success.
Some of the erroneous pictures of America are painted by others. My friend,
the Ambassador to China, tells me some Chinese textbooks talk of Americans
of "bullying the weak and repressing the poor." Another Chinese textbook,
published just last year, teaches that special agents of the FBI are used to
"repress the working people." Now, neither of these is true -- and while
the words may be leftovers from a previous era, they are misleading and
they're harmful.
In fact, Americans feel a special responsibility for the weak and the poor.
Our government spends billions of dollars to provide health care and food
and housing for those who cannot help themselves -- and even more important,
many of
our citizens contribute their own money and time to help those in need.
American compassion also stretches way beyond our borders. We're the number
one
provider of humanitarian aid to people in need throughout the world. And as
for the men and women of the FBI and law enforcement, they're working
people; they, themselves, are working people who devote their lives to
fighting crime and corruption.
My country certainly has its share of problems, no question about that. And
we have our faults. Like most nations we're on a long journey toward
achieving our own ideals of equality and justice. Yet there's a reason our
nation shines as a beacon of hope and opportunity, a reason many throughout
the world dream of coming to America. It's because we're a free nation,
where men and women have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. No matter
your background or your circumstance of birth, in America you can get a good
education, you can start your own business, you can raise a family, you can
worship freely, and help elect the leaders of your community and your
country. You can support the policies of our government, or you're free to
openly disagree with them. Those who fear freedom sometimes argue it could
lead to chaos, but it does not, because freedom means more than every man
for himself.
Liberty gives our citizens many rights, yet expects them to exercise
important responsibilities. Our liberty is given direction and purpose by
moral
character, shaped in strong families, strong communities, and strong
religious institutions, and overseen by a strong and fair legal system.
My country's greatest symbol to the world is the Statue of Liberty, and it
was designed by special care. I don't know if you've ever seen the Statue
of Liberty, but if you look closely, she's holding not one object, but two.
In one
hand is the familiar torch we call the "light of liberty." And in the other
hand is a book of law.
We're a nation of laws. Our courts are honest and they are independent. The
President -- me -- I can't tell the courts how to rule, and neither can any
other member of the executive or legislative branch of government. Under
our law, everyone stands equal. No one is above the law, and no one is
beneath it.
All political power in America is limited and it is temporary, and only
given by the free vote of the people. We have a Constitution, now two
centuries
old, which limits and balances the power of the three branches of our
government, the judicial branch, the legislative branch, and the executive
branch, of which I'm a part.
Many of the values that guide our life in America are first shaped in our
families, just as they are in your country. American moms and dads love
their children and work hard and sacrifice for them, because we believe life
can always be better for the next generation. In our families, we find love
and learn responsibility and character.
And many Americans voluntarily devote part of their lives to serving other
people. An amazing number -- nearly half of all adults in America --
volunteer time every week to make their communities better by mentoring
children, or by visiting the sick, or caring for the elderly, or helping
with thousands of other
needs and causes. This is one of the great strengths of my country. People
take responsibility for helping others, without being told, motivated by
their good hearts and often by their faith.
America is a nation guided by faith. Someone once called us "a nation with
the soul of a church." This may interest you -- 95 percent of Americans say
they believe in God, and I'm one of them.
When I met President Jiang Zemin in Shanghai a few months ago, I had the
honor of sharing with him how faith changed my life and how faith
contributes to
the life of my country. Faith points to a moral law beyond man's law, and
calls us to duties higher than material gain. Freedom of religion is not
something to be feared, it's to be welcomed, because faith gives us a moral
core
and teaches us to hold ourselves to high standards, to love and to serve
others, and to live responsible lives.
If you travel across America -- and I hope you do some day if you haven't
been there -- you will find people of many different ethic backgrounds and
many different faiths. We're a varied nation. We're home to 2.3 million
Americans of Chinese ancestry, who can be found working in the offices of
our corporations, or in the Cabinet of the President of the United States,
or skating for the America Olympic team. Every immigrant, by taking an oath
of allegiance to our country, becomes just as just as American as the
President. America shows that a society can be vast and it can be varied,
yet still one country, commanding the allegiance and love of its people.
And all these qualities of America were widely on display on a single day,
September the 11th, the day when terrorists, murderers, attacked my nation.
American policemen and firefighters, by the hundreds, ran into burning
towers in
desperation to save their fellow citizens. Volunteers came from everywhere
to help with rescue efforts. Americans donated blood and gave money to help
the families of victims. America had prayer services all over our country,
and people raised flags to show their pride and unity. And you need to
know, none of this was ordered by the government; it happened spontaneously,
by the initiative of free people.
Life in America shows that liberty, paired with law is not to be feared. In
a free society, diversity is not disorder. Debate is not strife. And
dissent is not revolution. A free society trusts its citizens to seek
greatness
in themselves and their country.
It was my honor to visit China in 1975 -- some of you weren't even bor [1] [2] [3] 下一页
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