Remarks and a question-and-answer session with students at Beijing University in Beijing, China: June 29, 1998

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, July 6, 1998

Now, in addition to that, however, a lot of the credit here goes to the American people themselves. We have a very sophisticated business community; they were investing money in new technologies and in new markets and in training people. We have an environment where it's quite easy for people to start a business, and perhaps this is the area that might be most helpful to China.

I know that my wife has done a lot of work around the world in villages, trying to get credit to villagers so they could borrow money to start their own businesses, to try to take advantage of some skill they have. And we have seen this system work even in the poorest places in Africa and Latin America, where opportunity takes off.

So we have tried to make it easy in America for people to start a business, to expand a business, and to do business. And then we have also tried very, very hard to get new opportunities into areas where there were none before. And all these things together - but especially, I give most of the credit to the people of my country. After all, a person in my position, we're supposed to have correct policies so that we create a framework within which the American people then create the future. And I think that is basically what has happened.

Now, you asked me an interesting question. Actually, I have been demonstrated against quite a lot in the United States. I told President Jiang when he was there, I was glad they demonstrated against him, so I didn't feel so lonely. [Laughter]

I'll give you a serious answer. If there were a lot of people demonstrating against me outside, suppose they were demonstrating over the question that the first gentleman asked me. Suppose they said, "Oh, President Clinton is trying to interfere with the peaceful reunification of China and Taiwan, and he shouldn't be selling them any weapons whatever." Well, I would try to find out what they were demonstrating against, and then I would ask my host if they minded if I would go over and talk to them, or if they would mind if one or two people from the group of demonstrators could be brought to see me, and they could say what is on their minds, and I could answer.

Remember what I said before about what Benjamin Franklin said, "Our critics are our friends, for they show us our faults." You have asked me some very good questions today that have an element of criticism in them. They have been very helpful to me. They have helped me to understand how what I say is perceived by others, not just in China but around the world. They have helped me to focus on what I can do to be a more effective President for my people and for the things we believe in.

And so I feel very good that we have had this interchange. And from my point of view, the questions were far more important than my speech. I never learn anything when I'm talking; I only learn things when I'm listening.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 10:25 a.m. in the Bangong Lou auditorium. In his remarks, he referred to Chen Jiaer, president, Ren Yansheng, university council chairman, and Chi Huisheng, vice president, Beijing University; President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji of China. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.