Clinton airs praise for `stable’ China

SHANGHAI, June 30: Answering questions from callers on a radio talk show today, US President Bill Clinton praised China today as ``a force o...

SHANGHAI, June 30: Answering questions from callers on a radio talk show today, US President Bill Clinton praised China today as “a force of stability” in Asia’s financial crisis, adding that it was now vital to return economic growth to Japan. “We cannot see growth restored in Asia unless it is restored in Japan,” Clinton told a Shanghai businessman, one of the several callers to the show.

It was a fast-talking, animated programme, with Clinton sitting at the microphones of a radio studio talking to Chinese listeners through an interpreter. “China has done a very good job in holding its currency stable,” Clinton

said.

Clinton raised the concern about Japan, noting the upcoming legislative elections and government plans to announce steps for financial reform. “If it is a good proposal and the confidence of investors..is raised, then I believe you will see the situation turn around in Asia,” Clinton said. This, he said, would ease pressure on China and also would be important for the UnitedStates.

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Other questions from Chinese listeners covered a wide range of issues including education, promotion of libraries, relations with Iran and sports. Responding to one politically sensitive question, Clinton carefully spelled out US policy towards Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province.

“We don’t support independence for Taiwan, or two China’s…And we don’t believe that Taiwan should be a member in any organisation for which statehood is a requirement,” Clinton said.

In Shanghai, Clinton turned his attention to dramatic changes in Communist China, both on the radio program and at an earlier forum where he was told that democracy is growing, that churches should cooperate with the government and that Chinese parents worry about children getting chubby on American-style fast foods.

Clinton said, “There is an emerging new China that is more prosperous, more open and more dynamic.”

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“I hope that you will help us to understand what is going on and speak with us frankly andopenly,” the President said at a forum which covered a number of technical and social issues but touched only lightly on politics.

Part of the President’s message was that the dynamic forces of change propelling the booming economy in Shanghai, China’s high-rise financial capital, can spread prosperity throughout China.

Zuo Xuejin, an economist and expert on migrant research, said America has a big influence on China’s young generation. “Today there are not many people who have the chance to go abroad, but they know there are many popular American stars and they know those popular stars’ names better than I do,” Zuo said.

And many of the kids in China love Kentucky Fried Chicken or McDonald’s and their parents are worrying about whether there will be problems of obesity, a problem that regularly draws attention in America.

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Asked to make a prediction on which country would win the World Cup, Clinton said Brazil would be “hard to beat”.