Friday, October 19, 2001

Bush meets with Chinese president in Shanghai
By Ron Fournier
Associated Press

SHANGHAI, China — President Bush met with Chinese President Jiang Zemin on Friday, hoping to bolster Beijing’s support for the U.S.-led anti-terrorism coalition and stem concern in Asia about U.S. military strikes against Afghanistan.

“You are president of a great nation,’’ Bush told Jiang. “It’s important for us to get to know each other.’’

Bush used to call China a “strategic competitor’’ during last year’s presidential campaign but now the United States is making a determined effort to improve relations.

Some nations gathering for the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation summit said they hoped U.S. attacks would end soon, exposing a possible split with Bush who says the strikes could last one or two years.

The president arrived in this gleaming port city Thursday evening and was greeted briefly at the airport by Chinese officials.

On the 13-hour flight to China, Bush met at length with aides aboard Air Force One to prepare for his meeting with Jiang. Already well versed on the terrorism situation, Bush talked mostly about trade and economics, according to participants.

China condemned the Sept. 11 attacks and quickly offered anti-terrorism intelligence to the United States. But the Chinese have cautioned Bush that their support of the bombing campaign depends on the United States limiting casualties to only terrorists.