Demonstrations in China - Department of State statements, George Bush addresses - transcript

US Department of State Bulletin, August, 1989

Persons in other parts of China may also wish to leave China, depending on the local situation. Citizens who choose to leave should, if possible, avoid routes out of the country that would require them to travel through Beijing. The Beijing airport is open, and flights are operating as scheduled. Roads to the airport are also open.

The U.S. Government is in touch with commercial airlines to arrange for charter flights, should they become necessary, to accommodate Americans departing China. As many of you know, Northwest Airlines flies out of Shanghai, and United flies out of Beijing.

The Secretary is recommending today to the Attorney General that all nationals of the People's Republic of China in the United States be permitted to remain in this country after their visas expire, without a change in their status. There are approximately 45,000 P.R.C. nationals in the United States at this time.

DEPARTMENT STATEMENT, JUNE 7, 19894

The situation in Beijing and in China is volatile, uncertain, and inereasingly dangerous. As you all know, this morning in China our Ambassador issued an order that all U.S. dependents-there are 258 of them-depart China.

Let me make something very clear. Our government can only order U.S. personnel and dependents to leave the country. The U.S. Government has no legal authority to order Americans to leave a foreign country. In light of that, the Secretary of State and our Ambassador are strongly urging all American citizens to leave China, and our Embassy and consular officers are assisting all Americans in leaving China to the best of our personnel',,, ability.

The State Department today is issuing a new travel advisory which reiterates the above.

In order to help facilitate the departure of American citizens and dependents, we have done the following. The U.S. Government is arranging charters that will supplement U.S. airlines to facilitate the departure of all those who want to leave and all those who have been ordered to leave. There are two charter flights scheduled for Thursday [June 8]. There is a possibility of a third. One of these is a United Airlines 747. Another is a Continental DC-10. There are 684 seats on those two flights. I do not have for you at this time what the additional charter may be.

On Friday [June 9], there is a regularly scheduled United Airlines flight. In addition Continental Airlines will bring back its DC-10 twice. All flights will include a mix of American citizens and dependents. It will depend on who is ready and waiting at the airport to go. There is a U.S. Embassy officer available at the Beijing airport to assist American citizens.

Concerning transportation to the airport: The road remains open. Yes, there are some roadblocks and some

difficulties and delays. Embassy vans and cars are transporting American citizens to the airport. Hotel buses and taxis are also available.

In addition a convoy of six embassy vans and one car departed our Embassy in Beijing this morning at approximately 9:30 a.m. for the university area. The convoy picked up 55 American teachers, students, and dependents. All of those people are now at the airport and were taken directly from their pickup points to the airport.