布什清华演讲

VicePresidentHu,thankyouforyourwordsofwelcome.Iamgratefulforyourhospitality,andhonoredbythisreceptionatoneofChina'sgreatuniversities.TsinghuaUniversitywasfounded,withthesupportofAmerica,tofurtherthetiesbetweenourtwonations.IknowhowimportantthisplaceistotheVicePresident,whoearnedhisdegreehereandevenmoreimportant,methisgraciouswifeLiuYongqinghere.Ialsothankthestudentshereforthisopportunitytomeetwithyou,totalkalittlebitaboutmycountryandanswersomeofyourquestions.Thestandardsandreputationofthisuniversityareknownaroundtheworld,andIknowwhatanachievementitistobehere.MywifeLauraandIhavetwodaughtersincollege,oneatYaleandtheotherattheUniversityofTexas.WeareproudofourdaughtersjustlikeIamsureyourparentsareproudofyou.MyvisittoChinacomesonanimportantanniversary.Thirtyyearsagothisweek,anAmericanPresidentarrivedinChinaonatripdesignedtoenddecadesofestrangementandconfrontcenturiesofsuspicion.PresidentRichardNixonshowedtheworldthattwovastlydifferentgovernmentscouldmeetonthegroundsofcommoninterest,andinaspiritofmutualrespect.Astheylefttheairportthatday,PremierZhouEnlaisaidtoPresidentNixon,Yourhandshakecameoverthevastestoceanintheworld?twenty-fiveyearsofnocommunication.Duringthe30yearssince,AmericaandChinahaveexchangedmanyhandshakesoffriendshipandcommerce.Andaswehavehadmorecontactwitheachother,thecitizensofourtwocountrieshavegraduallylearnedmoreabouteachother.Once,AmericaknewChinaonlybyitshistoryasagreatandenduringcivilization.Today,weseeaChinathatisstilldefinedbynobletraditionsoffamily,scholarship,andhonor.AndweseeaChinathatisbecomingoneofthemostdynamicandcreativesocietiesintheworldasdemonstratedbyalltheknowledgeandpotentialrighthereinthisroom.Chinaisonarisingpath,andAmericawelcomestheemergenceofastrong,peaceful,andprosperousChina.AsAmericalearnsmoreaboutChina,IamconcernedthattheChinesepeopledonotalwaysseeaclearpictureofmycountry.Thishappensformanyreasons,someofthemofourownmaking.OurmoviesandtelevisionshowsoftendonotportraythevaluesoftherealAmericaIknow.OursuccessfulbusinessesshowthestrengthofAmericancommerce,butthecommunityspiritandcontributionsofthosebusinessesarenotalwaysasvisibleastheirmonetarysuccess.SomeoftheerroneouspicturesofAmericaarepaintedbyothers.Myfriend,theAmbassadortoChina,tellsmethatsomeChinesetextbookstalkofAmericansbullyingtheweakandrepressingthepoor.AnotherChinesetextbook,publishedjustlastyear,teachesthatspecialagentsoftheFBIareusedtorepresstheworkingpeople.Neitheroftheseistrueandwhilethebooksmaybeleftoversfromapreviousera,theyaremisleadingandharmful.Infact,Americansfeelaspecialresponsibilityforthepoorandtheweak.Ourgovernmentspendsbillionsofdollarstoprovidehealthcareandfoodandhousingforthosewhocannothelpthemselvesandevenmoreimportant,manyofourcitizenscontributetheirownmoneyandtimetohelpthoseinneed.Americancompassionstretcheswaybeyondourborders.Wearethenumberoneproviderofhumanitarianaidtopeopleinneedthroughouttheworld.AsforthemenandwomenofourFBIandlawenforcement,theyarethemselvesworkingpeoplewhodevotetheirlivestofightingcrimeandcorruption.Mycountrycertainlyhasitsshareofproblemsandfaults;likemostnationswe'reonalongjourneytowardachievingourownidealsofequalityandjustice.Yetthereisareasonournationshinesasabeaconofhopeandopportunity,areasonmanythroughouttheworlddreamofcomingtoAmerica.Weareafreenation,wheremenandwomenhavetheopportunitytoachievetheirdreams.Nomatteryourbackgroundorcircumstanceofbirth,inAmericayoucangetagoodeducation,startabusiness,raiseafamily,worshipfreelyandhelpelecttheleadersofyourcommunityandcountry.Youcansupportthepoliciesofourgovernment,oryouarefreetoopenlydisagreewiththem.Thosewhofearfreedomsometimesargueitcouldleadtochaos,butitdoesnot,becausefreedommeansmorethaneverymanforhimself.Libertygivesourcitizensmanyrights,yetexpectsthemtoexerciseimportantresponsibilities.Ourlibertyisgivendirectionandpurposebymoralcharacter,shapedinstrongfamilies,strongcommunities,andstrongreligiousinstitutionsandoverseenbyastrongandfairlegalsystem.Mycountry'sgreatestsymboltotheworld,theStatueofLiberty,wasdesignedwithgreatcare.Asyoulookclosely,youwillseethatsheisholdingnotoneobject,buttwo.Inonehandisthefamiliartorch,thelightofliberty.Intheotherisabookoflaw.WeareaNationoflaws.Ourcourtsarehonestandindependent.ThePresidentcan'ttellthecourtshowtoruleandneithercananyothermemberoftheexecutiveorlegislativebranch.Underourlaw,everyonestandsequal.Nooneisabovethelaw,andnooneisbeneathit.AllpoliticalpowerinAmericaislimitedandtemporary,andonlygivenbyafreevoteofthepeople.WehaveaConstitution,nowtwocenturiesold,whichlimitsandbalancesthepowersofthethreebranchesofourgovernment:judicial,legislativeandexecutive.ManyofthevaluesthatguideourlifeinAmericaarefirstshapedinourfamilies,justastheyareinyourcountry.AmericanMomsandDadslovetheirchildrenandworkhardandsacrificeforthem,becausewebelievelifecanalwaysbebetterforthenextgeneration.Inourfamilies,wefindloveandlearnresponsibilityandcharacter.AndmanyAmericansvoluntarilydevotepartoftheirlivestoservingothers.AnamazingnumbernearlyhalfofalladultsinAmericavolunteertimeeveryweektomaketheircommunitiesbett