Interview With the President Question-and-Answer Session With Zhao Zhongxiang of Central TV, People's Republic of China.

MR. ZHAO. Mr. President, first of all, we would like to express our appreciation for giving us this opportunity to have this interview.

THE PRESIDENT. It's a great honor and privilege for me to have a chance to talk to the millions of Chinese people who are once again our very important, very close friends.

MR. ZHAO. Mr. President, you have made positive contributions to the normalization of relations between China and the United States. The Chinese people are most happy about the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. What do you think is the significance of the normalization of Sino-U.S. relations? How would you assess the outlook for our relationship after the normalization?

THE PRESIDENT. The normalization of relations between China and the United States is a development of great historical importance. After long years of estrangement between our people, we now have a new and exciting, very happy opportunity to strengthen the ties of friendship which our people have longed for.

This also opens up opportunities for political discussions between our leaders for improved cultural exchange, better trade relationships, and also, of course, scientific opportunities, where both our nations would have great mutual benefit. This original opening of relations will also permit future growth in all these aspects of a better quality of life for our people and will lay a foundation for the enhancement of peace in the entire Asian region and, indeed, throughout the entire world. It will let our people cooperate with one another on goals of mutual interest to the people of China and the people of the United States of America.

MR. ZHAO. Vice Premier Dens Xiaoping is coming to the United States soon for a friendly official visit at your invitation. This is going to be the first visit by a Chinese state leader to this country. What do you expect from this visit?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, the most important element of his visit, from my perspective, is the extensive and private conversations between Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping and myself. We will have a broad agenda of issues to be discussed of great mutual interest to our people.

We also will have an opportunity to show, through the welcome extended to Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping, his wife, and his entire party of leaders of China, the friendship of the American people for the people of China.

The Vice Premier will have an opportunity, as well, to discuss issues with the Members of the Congress of the United States, and will have a chance to visit some of our very fine cities—Atlanta, Houston, Seattle. This is an important element of the Chinese ability to understand the peace-loving nature of Americans and the common purposes that we obviously share.

So, I believe that this visit will be exciting, enjoyable, and a wonderful opportunity to show the entire world that the new friendship that exists between our countries and our people is important to us and will be of increasing importance in the future.

MR. ZHAO. Mr. President, what is your assessment of the outlook for the world situation in the new year?

THE PRESIDENT. Obviously, there are some very disturbing trouble spots around the world where people are not at peace. And we obviously have a need to extend the beneficial effect of the desire for peace that exists among our people to those troubled areas.

We have great need for an improved quality of life for those who are hungry, who don't have adequate shelter or health care, who are struggling for more freedom, and who desire to expand their range of knowledge of the entire world and, therefore, their beneficial effect.

We have, I think, a good opportunity, however, with the new relations between China and our own country to influence those troubled areas toward a more peaceful existence, to prevent the spread of violence to adjacent areas, and to let people live in harmony, one with another.

So, I think, in general, the world is in a peaceful state. The trouble spots can be brought to peace with our combined efforts. And we'll be working with China and other nations to let this influence be as great as possible for peace.

MR. ZHAO. This is the first opportunity for the Central TV of the People's Republic of China to have an interview with a U.S. President. We would like to express once again our appreciation. Do you have any message to convey to the Chinese TV audience?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes. This is my opportunity to speak to the largest audience I've ever had. And I'm very delighted, on behalf of the 220 million people in our Nation, to extend my personal thanks for the new, friendly relations between our people.

I might point out that this opportunity has not just resulted from the last few weeks of negotiation between myself, as President of our country, and Premier Hua and Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping in China. It's a culmination of years of negotiation between Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai of China and my predecessors, Presidents Nixon and Ford, in this country. And this represents a broad degree of support from many great leaders and also the people ourselves.

I know there's a great feeling of gratitude in China and the United States for this new, wonderful relationship. And that gratitude is expressed not only from our own people but from the nations around the world who see our new friendship as a basis for increased friendship, harmony, and peace throughout the world.

So, best wishes to all the people of China, and we are very grateful for this new opportunity for increasing friendship and peace in the years ahead.

MR. ZHAO. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT. Thank you very much.