美国克林顿总统在北京大学的演讲稿
PRESIDENTCLINTON:
Thankyou.Thankyou,PresidentChen,ChairmenRen,VicePresidentChi,ViceMinisterWei.WearedelightedtobeheretodaywithaverylargeAmericandelegation,includingtheFirstLadyandourdaughter,whoisastudentatStanford,oneoftheschoolswithwhichBeijingUniversityhasarelationship.WehavesixmembersoftheUnitedStatesCongress;theSecretaryofState;SecretaryofCommerce;theSecretaryofAgriculture;theChairmanofourCouncilofEconomicAdvisors;SenatorSasser,ourAmbassador;theNationalSecurityAdvisorandmyChiefofStaff,amongothers.IsaythattoillustratetheimportancethattheUnitedStatesplacesonourrelationshipwithChina.
Iwouldliketobeginbycongratulatingallofyou,thestudents,thefaculty,theadministrators,oncelebratingthecentennialyearofyouruniversity.Gongxi,Beida.(Applause.)
AsI'msureallofyouknow,thiscampuswasoncehometoYenchingUniversitywhichwasfoundedbyAmericanmissionaries.ManyofitswonderfulbuildingsweredesignedbyanAmericanarchitect.ThousandsofAmericansstudentsandprofessorshavecomeheretostudyandteach.Wefeelaspecialkinshipwithyou.
Iam,however,gratefulthatthisdayisdifferentinoneimportantrespectfromanotherimportantoccasion79yearsago.InJuneof1919,thefirstpresidentofYenchingUniversity,JohnLeightonStuart,wassettodelivertheveryfirstcommencementaddressontheseverygrounds.Attheappointedhour,heappeared,butnostudentsappeared.TheywerealloutleadingtheMay4thMovementforChina'spoliticalandculturalrenewal.WhenIreadthis,IhopedthatwhenIwalkedintotheauditoriumtoday,someonewouldbesittinghere.AndIthankyouforbeinghere,verymuch.(Applause.)
Overthelast100years,thisuniversityhasgrowntomorethan20,000students.YourgraduatesarespreadthroughoutChinaandaroundtheworld.YouhavebuiltthelargestuniversitylibraryinallofAsia.Lastyear,20percentofyourgraduateswentabroadtostudy,includinghalfofyourmathandsciencemajors.Andinthisanniversaryyear,morethanamillionpeopleinChina,Asia,andbeyondhaveloggedontoyourwebsite.Atthedawnofanewcentury,thisuniversityisleadingChinaintothefuture.
Icomeheretodaytotalktoyou,thenextgenerationofChina'sleaders,aboutthecriticalimportancetoyourfutureofbuildingastrongpartnershipbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStates.
TheAmericanpeopledeeplyadmireChinaforitsthousandsofyearsofcontributionstocultureandreligion,tophilosophyandthearts,toscienceandtechnology.WerememberwellourstrongpartnershipinWorldWarII.NowweseeChinaatamomentinhistorywhenyourgloriouspastismatchedbyyourpresentsweepingtransformationandtheevengreaterpromiseofyourfuture.
Justthreedecadesago,Chinawasvirtuallyshutofffromtheworld.Now,Chinaisamemberofmorethan1,000internationalorganizations--enterprisesthataffecteverythingfromairtraveltoagriculturaldevelopment.Youhaveopenedyournationtotradeandinvestmentonalargescale.Today,40,000youngChinesestudyintheUnitedStates,withhundredsofthousandsmorelearninginAsia,Africa,Europe,andLatinAmerica.
Yoursocialandeconomictransformationhasbeenevenmoreremarkable,movingfromaclosedcommandeconomicsystemtoadriving,increasinglymarket-basedanddriveneconomy,generatingtwodecadesofunprecedentedgrowth,givingpeoplegreaterfreedomtotravelwithinandoutsideChina,tovoteinvillageelections,toownahome,chooseajob,attendabetterschool.Asaresultyouhaveliftedliterallyhundredsofmillionsofpeoplefrompoverty.Percapitaincomehasmorethandoubledinthelastdecade.MostChinesepeopleareleadinglivestheycouldnothaveimaginedjust20yearsago.
Ofcourse,thesechangeshavealsobroughtdisruptionsinsettledpatternsoflifeandwork,andhaveimposedenormousstrainsonyourenvironment.OnceeveryurbanChinesewasguaranteedemploymentinastateenterprise.Nowyoumustcompeteinajobmarket.OnceaChineseworkerhadonlytomeetthedemandsofacentralplannerinBeijing.Nowtheglobaleconomymeansallmustmatchthequalityandcreativityoftherestoftheworld.Forthosewholacktherighttrainingandski
llsandsupport,thisnewworldcanbedaunting.Intheshort-term,good,hardworkingpeople--some,atleastwillfindthemselvesunemployed.And,asallofyoucansee,therehavebeenenormousenvironmentalandeconomicandhealthcarecoststothedevelopmentpatternandtheenergyusepatternofthelast20years--fromairpollutiontodeforestationtoacidrainandwatershortage.
Inthefaceofthe
美国克林顿总统在北京大学的演讲稿
sechallengesnewsystemsoftrainingandsocialsecuritywillhavetobedevised,andnewenvironmentalpoliciesandtechnologieswillhavetobeintroducedwiththegoalofgrowingyoureconomywhileimprovingtheenvironment.EverythingIknowabouttheintelligence,theingenuity,theenterpriseoftheChinesepeopleandeverythingIhaveheardtheselastfewdaysinmydiscussionswithPresidentJiang,PrimeMinisterZhuandothersgivemeconfidencethatyouwillsucceed.AsyoubuildanewChina,Americawantstobuildanewrelationshipwithyou.WewantChinatobesuccessful,secureandopen,workingwithusforamorepeacefulandprosperousworld.IknowtherearethoseinChinaandtheUnitedStateswhoquestionwhethercloserrelationsbetweenourcountriesisagoodthing.Buteverythingallofusknowaboutthewaytheworldischangingandthechallengesyourgenerationwillfacetellusthatourtwonationswillbefarbetteroffworkingtogetherthanapart.
ThelateDengXiaopingcounseledustoseektruthfromfacts.Atthedawnofthenewcentury,thefactsareclear.Thedistancebetweenourtwonations,indeed,betweenanynations,isshrinking.WhereonceanAmericanclippershiptookmonthstocrossfromChinatotheUnitedStates.Today,technologyhasmadeusallvirtualneighbors.Fromlaptopstolasers,frommicrochipstomegabytes,aninformationrevolutionislightingthelandscapeofhumanknowledge,bringingusallclosertogether.Ideas,information,andmoneycrosstheplanetatthestrokeofacomputerkey,bringingwiththemextraordinaryopportunitiestocreatewealth,topreventandconquerdisease,tofostergreaterunderstandingamongpeoplesofdifferenthistoriesanddifferentcultures.
Butwealsoknowthatthisgreateropennessandfasterchangemeanthatproblemswhichstartbeyondonenationsborderscanquicklymoveinsidethem--thespreadofweaponsofmassdestruction,thethreatsoforganizedcrimeanddrugtrafficking,ofenvironmentaldegradation,andsevereeconomicdislocation.Nonationcanisolateitselffromtheseproblems,andnonationcansolvethemalone.We,especiallytheyoungergenerationsofChinaandtheUnitedStates,mustmakecommoncauseofourcommonchallenges,sothatwecan,together,shapeanewcenturyofbrilliantpossibilities.
Inthe21stcentury--yourcentury--ChinaandtheUnitedStateswillfacethechallengeofsecurityinAsia.OntheKoreanPeninsula,whereoncewewereadversaries,todayweareworkingtogetherforapermanentpeaceandafuturefreerofnuclearweapons.
OntheIndiansubcontinent,justasmostoftherestoftheworldismovingawayfromnucleardanger,IndiaandPakistanrisksparkinganewarmsrace.WearenowpursuingacommonstrategytomoveIndiaandPakistanawayfromfurthertestingandtowardadialoguetoresolvetheirdifferences.
Inthe21stcentury,yourgenerationmustfacethechallengeofstoppingthespreadofdeadliernuclear,chemical,andbiologicalweapons.Inthewronghandsorthewrongplaces,theseweaponscanthreatenthepeaceofnationslargeandsmall.Increasingly,ChinaandtheUnitedStatesagreeontheimportanceofstoppingproliferation.Thatiswhywearebeginningtoactinconcerttocontroltheworldsmostdangerousweapons.
Inthe21stcentury,yourgenerationwillhavetoreversetheinternationaltideofcrimeanddrugs.Aroundtheworld,organizedcrimerobspeopleofbillionsofdollarseveryyearandunderminestrustingovernment.Americaknowsallaboutthedevastationanddespairthatdrugscanbringtoschoolsandneighborhoods.Withbordersonmorethanadozencountries,Chinahasbecomeacrossroadforsmugglersofallkinds.
Lastyear,PresidentJiangandIaskedseniorChineseandAmericanlawenforcementofficialstostepupourcooperationagainstthesepredators,tostopmoneyfrombeinglaundered,tostopaliensfrombeingcruellysm
uggled,tostopcurrenciesfrombeingunderminedbycounterfeiting.Justthismonth,ourdrugenforcementagencyopenedanofficeinBeijing,andsoonChinesecounternarcoticsexpertswillbeworkingoutofWashington.Inthe21stcentury,yourgenerationmustmakeityourmissiontoensurethattoday'sprogressdoesnotcomeattomorrow'sexpense.China'sremarkablegrowthinthelasttwodecadeshascomewithatoxiccost,pollutantsthatfoulthewateryoudrinkandtheairyoubreathe--thecostisnotonlyenvironmental,itisalsoseriousintermsofthehealthconsequencesofyourpeopleandintermsofthedragoneconomicgrowth.
Environmentalproblemsarealsoincreasinglyglobalaswellasnational.Forexample,inthenearfuture,ifpresentenergyusepatternspersist,ChinawillovertaketheUnitedStatesastheworld'slargestemitterofgreenhouse
美国克林顿总统在北京大学的演讲稿
gases,thegaseswhicharetheprincipalcauseofglobalwarming.Ifthenationsoftheworlddonotreducethegaseswhicharecausingglobalwarming,sometimeinthenextcenturythereisaseriousriskofdramaticchangesinclimatewhichwillchangethewayweliveandthewaywework,whichcouldliterallyburysomeislandnationsundermountainsofwaterandunderminetheeconomicandsocialfabricofnations.Wemustworktogether.WeAmericansknowfromourownexperiencethatitispossibletogrowaneconomywhileimprovingtheenvironment.Wemustdothattogetherforourselvesandfortheworld.
BuildingontheworkthatourVicePresident,AlGore,hasdonepreviouslywiththeChinesegovernment,PresidentJiangandIareworkingtogetheronwaystobringAmericancleanenergytechnologytohelpimproveairqualityandgrowtheChineseeconomyatthesametime.
ButIwillsaythisagain--thisisnotonmyremarks--yourgenerationmustdomoreaboutthis.Thisisahugechallengeforyou,fortheAmericanpeopleandforthefutureoftheworld.Anditmustbeaddressedattheuniversitylevel,becausepoliticalleaderswillneverbewillingtoadoptenvironmentalmeasuresiftheybelieveitwillleadtolarge-scaleunemploymentormorepoverty.Theevidenceisclearthatdoesnothavetohappen.Youwillactuallyhavemorerapideconomicgrowthandbetterpayingjobs,leadingtohigherlevelsofeducationandtechnologyifwedothisintheproperway.Butyouandtheuniversity,communitiesinChina,theUnitedStatesandthroughouttheworldwillhavetoleadtheway.(Applause.)
Inthe21stcenturyyourgenerationmustalsoleadthechallengeofaninternationalfinancialsystemthathasnorespectfornationalborders.WhenstockmarketsfallinHongKongorJakarta,theeffectsarenolongerlocal;theyareglobal.Thevibrantgrowthofyourowneconomyistiedclosely,therefore,totherestorationofstabilityandgrowthintheAsiaPacificregion.
Chinahassteadfastlyshouldereditsresponsibilitiestotheregionandtheworldinthislatestfinancialcrisis--helpingtopreventanothercycleofdangerousdevaluations.Wemustcontinuetoworktogethertocounterthisthreattotheglobalfinancialsystemandtothegrowthandprosperitywhichshouldbeembracingallofthisregion.
Inthe21stcentury,yourgenerationwillhavearemarkableopportunitytobringtogetherthetalentsofourscientists,doctors,engineersintoasharedquestforprogress.Alreadythebreakthroughswehaveachievedinourareasofjointcooperation--inchallengesfromdealingwithspinabifidatodealingwithextremeweatherconditionsandearthquakes--haveprovedwhatwecandotogethertochangethelivesofmillionsofpeopleinChinaandtheUnitedStatesandaroundtheworld.Expandingourcooperationinscienceandtechnologycanbeoneofourgreatestgiftstothefuture.
IneachofthesevitalareasthatIhavementioned,wecanclearlyaccomplishsomuchmorebywalkingtogetherratherthanstandingapart.Thatiswhyweshouldworktoseethattheproductiverelationshipwenowenjoyblossomsintoafullerpartnershipinthenewcentury.
Ifthatistohappen,itisveryimportantthatweunderstandeachotherbetter,thatweunderstandbothourcommoninterestandoursharedaspirationsandourhonestdifferences.Ibelievethekindofopen,directexchangethatPresidentJiangandIhadonSaturdayatourpressconference-
-whichIknowmanyofyouwatchedontelevision--canbothclarifyandnarrowourdifferences,and,moreimportant,byallowingpeopletounderstandanddebateanddiscussthesethingscangiveagreatersenseofconfidencetoourpeoplethatwecanmakeabetterfuture.FromthewindowsoftheWhiteHouse,whereIliveinWashington,D.C.,themonumenttoourfirstPresident,GeorgeWashington,dominatestheskyline.Itisaverytallobelisk.Butverynearthislargemonumentthereisasmallstonewhichcontainsthesewords:TheUnitedStatesneitherestablishedtitlesofnobilityandroyalty,norcreatedahereditarysystem.Stateaffairsareputtothevoteofpublicopinion.
Thiscreatedanewpoliticalsituation,unprecedentedfromancienttimestothepresent.Howwonderfulitis.ThosewordswerenotwrittenbyanAmerican.TheywerewrittenbyXuJiyu,governorofFujianProvince,inscribedasagiftfromthegovernmentofChinatoournationin1853.
IamverygratefulforthatgiftfromChina.Itgoestotheheartofwhoweareasapeople--therighttolife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness,thefreedomtodebate,todissent,toassociate,toworshipwithoutinterferencefromthestate.Thesearetheidealsthatwereatthecoreofourfoundingover220yearsago.Thesearetheideas
美国克林顿总统在北京大学的演讲稿
thatledusacrossourcontinentandontotheworldstage.ThesearetheidealsthatAmericanscherishtoday.AsIsaidinmypressconferencewithPresidentJiang,wehaveanongoingquestourselvestoliveuptothoseideals.ThepeoplewhoframedourConstitutionunderstoodthatwewouldneverachieveperfection.TheysaidthatthemissionofAmericawouldalwaysbe"toformamoreperfectunion"--inotherwords,thatwewouldneverbeperfect,butwehadtokeeptryingtodobetter.
Thedarkestmomentsinourhistoryhavecomewhenweabandonedtheefforttodobetter,whenwedeniedfreedomtoourpeoplebecauseoftheirraceortheirreligion,becausetherewerenewimmigrantsorbecausetheyheldunpopularopinions.Thebestmomentsinourhistoryhavecomewhenweprotectedthefreedomofpeoplewhoheldunpopularopinion,orextendedrightsenjoyedbythemanytothefewwhohadpreviouslybeendeniedthem,making,therefore,thepromisesofourDeclarationofIndependenceandConstitutionmorethanfadedwordsonoldparchment.
Todaywedonotseektoimposeourvisiononothers,butweareconvincedthatcertainrightsareuniversal--notAmericanrightsorEuropeanrightsorrightsfordevelopednations,butthebirthrightsofpeopleeverywhere,nowenshrinedintheUnitedNationsDeclarationonHumanRights--therighttobetreatedwithdignity;therighttoexpressone'sopinions,tochooseone'sownleaders,toassociatefreelywithothers,andtoworship,ornot,freely,howeveronechooses.
Inthelastletterofhislife,theauthorofourDeclarationofIndependenceandourthirdPresident,ThomasJefferson,saidthenthat"alleyesareopeningtotherightsofman."Ibelievethatinthistime,atlonglast,172yearsafterJeffersonwrotethosewords,alleyesareopeningtotherightsofmenandwomeneverywhere.
Overthepasttwodecades,arisingtideoffreedomhasliftedthelivesofmillionsaroundtheworld,sweepingawayfaileddictatorialsystemsintheFormerSovietUnion,throughoutCentralEurope;endingaviciouscycleofmilitarycoupsandcivilwarsinLatinAmerica;givingmorepeopleinAfricathechancetomakethemostoftheirhard-wonindependence.AndfromthePhilippinestoSouthKorea,fromThailandtoMongolia,freedomhasreachedAsia'sshores,poweringasurgeofgrowthandproductivity.
Economicsecurityalsocanbeanessentialelementoffreedom.ItisrecognizedintheUnitedNationsCovenantonEconomic,Social,andCulturalRights.InChina,youhavemadeextraordinarystridesinnurturingthatliberty,andspreadingfreedomfromwant,tobeasourceofstrengthtoyourpeople.Incomesareup,povertyisdown;peopledohavemorechoicesofjobs,andtheabilitytotravel--theabilitytomakeabetterlife.Buttruefreedomincludesmorethaneconomicfreedom.InAmerica,webelieveitisaconceptwhichisindivisible.
Overthepastfourdays,IhaveseenfreedominmanymanifestationsinChina.Ihaveseenthefreshshootsofdemocracygrowin
ginthevillagesofyourheartland.Ihavevisitedavillagethatchoseitsownleadersinfreeelections.Ihavealsoseenthecellphones,thevideoplayers,thefaxmachinescarryingideas,informationandimagesfromallovertheworld.I'veheardpeoplespeaktheirmindsandIhavejoinedpeopleinprayerinthefaithofmyownchoosing.InallthesewaysIfeltasteadybreezeoffreedom.Thequestionis,wheredowegofromhere?Howdoweworktogethertobeontherightsideofhistorytogether?Morethan50yearsago,HuShi,oneofyourgreatpoliticalthinkersandateacheratthisuniversity,saidthesewords:"Nowsomepeoplesaytomeyoumustsacrificeyourindividualfreedomsothatthenationmaybefree.ButIreply,thestruggleforindividualfreedomisthestruggleforthenation'sfreedom.Thestruggleforyourowncharacteristhestruggleforthenation'scharacter."
WeAmericansbelieveHuShiwasright.Webelieveandourexperiencedemonstratesthatfreedomstrengthensstabilityandhelpsnationstochange.
Oneofourfoundingfathers,BenjaminFranklin,oncesaid,"Ourcriticsareourfriends,fortheyshowusourfaults."Now,ifthatistrue,therearemanydaysintheUnitedStateswhenthePresidenthasmorefriendsthananyoneelseinAmerica.(Laughter.)Butitisso.
Intheworldwelivein,thisglobalinformationage,constantimprovementandchangeisnecessarytoeconomicopportunityandtonationalstrength.Therefore,thefreestpossibleflowofinformation,ideas,andopinions,andagreaterrespectfordivergentpoliticalandreligiousconvictionswillactuallybreedstrengthandstabilitygoingforward.
Itis,therefore,profoundlyinyourinterest,andtheworld's,thatyoungChinesem
美国克林顿总统在北京大学的演讲稿
indsbefreetoreachthefullnessoftheirpotential.Thatisthemessageofourtimeandthemandateofthenewcenturyandthenewmillennium.IhopeChinawillmorefullyembracethismandate.Forallthegrandeurofyourhistory,Ibelieveyourgreatestdaysarestillahead.Againstgreatoddsinthe20thcenturyChinahasnotonlysurvived,itismovingforwarddramatically.
Otherancientculturesfailedbecausetheyfailedtochange.Chinahasconstantlyproventhecapacitytochangeandgrow.Now,youmustre-imagineChinaagainforanewcentury,andyourgenerationmustbeattheheartofChina'sregeneration.
Thenewcenturyisuponus.Alloursightsareturnedtowardthefuture.NowyourcountryhasknownmoremillenniathantheUnitedStateshasknowncenturies.Today,however,ChinaisasyoungasanynationonEarth.ThisnewcenturycanbethedawnofanewChina,proudofyourancientgreatness,proudofwhatyouaredoing,prouderstillofthetomorrowstocome.ItcanbeatimewhentheworldagainlookstoChinaforthevigorofitsculture,thefreshnessofitsthinking,theelevationofhumandignitythatisapparentinitsworks.Itcanbeatimewhentheoldestofnationshelpstomakeanewworld.
TheUnitedStateswantstoworkwithyoutomakethattimeareality.
Thankyouverymuch.(Applause.)