President Jiang didn’t really want to do any press at all. His handlers had even insisted that the cameramen kill the TV lights. “They bother our leader’s eyes,” they told U.S. press aides. If it had been up to Jiang the two presidents would have just exchanged their opening bromides and called it a day. But he did agree to a few questions. The first came from a reporter from China Central Television. “Recently, there have been improvements in Sino-U.S. relations,” she said. “How would you envisage the future growth of bilateral ties?” U.S. reporters smirked at the softball question. Then we watched as Jiang overtly read his answer to the planted question.
Bush, by contrast, seemed almost eager for the opportunity to talk to the press. He took his first question from the Associated Press’ Ron Fournier–the Ubermensch of hard-charging reporters. He asked the president about links between anthrax and Al Qaeda, and to confirm that special forces were on the ground in southern Afghanistan. Bush demurred on the ground-forces question but clearly had things he wanted–and needed–to say to people panicking over anthrax back home. “The American people also have got to understand that we will make sure that there is ample supplies [of antibiotics] as we deal with this evil act,” Bush said. He seemed relaxed. As he listened to the long translation of his answer into Chinese, a little smile crept onto his face. When the translator finished, he quipped: “Couldn’t have said it any better.”
Jiang was not so playful. He sternly answered a Fournier question on whether he supported the war in Afghanistan. Jiang gave his tentative support but cautioned that “efforts should hit accurately and also avoid innocent casualties.” When reporters raised their hands for the next round the president declared: “That’s the end of the press conference.” Bush looked shocked. He shrugged his shoulders at us as if to apologize. Top communications counselor Karen Hughes, sitting in the front row, joked: “We should try that.” Other aides mused that this should make U.S. reporters stop grumbling about the White House’s press handling for awhile.
Reporters weren’t the only ones giving Bush more respect on his trip to China for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week. He seems to have won over some foreign leaders who were skeptical of him. “I would like to applaud and show my great respect for the leadership of President Bush, for his calm composure and his very wise decision[s] … in this fight to eradicate terrorism,” said South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung, who had been disappointed at Bush’s early approach to relations on the Korean peninsula. Certainly Bush’s relationship with Russia’s Vladimir Putin has been cemented. The terrorist attacks have given impetus to discussions on the Antiballistic Missile Treaty. They will meet again Sunday.
But it’s been the U.S.-Sino relationship that has been the most improved. There was no mention of the EP-3 spy-plane incident. Bush no longer talks about China as a “strategic competitor.” The two presidents talked instead about a partnership in fighting terrorism. China is sharing intelligence and has closed its short border with Afghanistan to help suffocate Al Qaeda. “These are very real measures. The president is very happy with the support he’s getting,” national-security adviser Condoleezza Rice said.
That doesn’t mean that there haven’t been a few strains on relations. One logistics aide was so frustrated with the Chinese and their haphazard rules that he described the dealings as a “Chinese Fire Drill.” The problem was that the description made its way into writing in the press schedule booklet. “That’s racist!” one White House aide exclaimed when he was proofing the schedule. He sent back a note to cut it out, but the edit never got made. A day into our trip we were asked to exchange our schedules for new booklets that did not have the offending language. An international incident was narrowly averted.
