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The President's Trip to China

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China Trip


THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Beijing, People's Republic of China)

For Immediate Release June 28, 1998



REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT THE GREAT WALL


Great Wall
Mutianyu, People's Republic of China


2:45 P.M. (L)

Q: What are your impressions of the wall, Mr. President?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Quite unbelievable. It's amazing to imagine that it was done so long ago. They've even had bricks here for 400 and some odd years.

Q: Do you see any analogies, sir, to the way China is now and the way it was then?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: No. (Laughter.) I said yesterday that I felt -- I believe this wall now is a symbol that China shows to the rest of the world, not a wall to keep people out. It sort of unifies the country for over 7,000 kilometers.

Q: Mr. President, could you tell us what the woman in the church wanted to talk to you about today?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: She just kept saying how happy she was I was in the church and how she wished I could come to the little village where she was from. She was very emotional. But as nearly as I can tell, there was nothing specific that she was saying. She kept thanking me for being there and saying that she was glad I was there and she wished I could come to her village, her home village.

Q: What do you think, Mrs. Clinton? What are your impressions?

MRS. CLINTON: Magnificent.

PRESIDENT CLINTON: You know, the part -- the steep incline you see up there, we were told, is the steepest part of the wall. So if we had a couple of hours we could walk 10 kilometers and we'd hit the biggest incline and we'd all be in very good shape when we finished. Or we'd be finished. (Laughter.)

Q: Was it a good workout anyway?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: It was a good workout. It was great.

Nice cap, Peter.

Q: Thank you, sir.


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China Trip Speeches - June 28, 1998

Remarks at the Great Wall of China

Remarks at the Chongwenmen Church