Bush Requested China for Support Resumption of North-U.S. Dialogue

U.S. President George W. Bush reportedly asked Jiang Zemin President of China for supporting resumption of dialogue between North Korea and U.S. on the 21st.

At a joint news conference after having summit conference with President Jiang at the Great Hall in Beijing, President Bush, recalling the promise to resume dialogue with North Korea, said, "the offer I made in Seoul yesterday is a real one. I asked Mr. Jiang to transfer the message to Kim Jung-Il the leader of North Korea."

But he exposed his critical view on North Korea again by saying, "North Korea is not transparent, and people of North Korea are starving."

And President Bush said that both U.S. and China agreed to share the responsibility to clear up the smuggling weapons in order to frustrate terrorists, and asked China to be a `power` to guarantee peace for neighbor countries by opposing to the expansion of missiles and fatal technology. Especially he emphasized the role of China in pressing North Korea not to develop mass killing weapons.

To this, President Jiang said, "it is natural for China and the United States to disagree on some issues. But we could reduce the differences if we act by the spirit of mutual respect and equalitarianism."

President Bush invited President Jiang to U.S. in October this year, and President Jiang accepted. And President Jiang said, "Hu Jintao Vice President will visit U.S. in a `near future`."

President Bush left Seoul in the morning and arrived in Beijing. He will back to U.S. after having breakfast with Premier Zhu Rongji, lecture in Tshinghwa University, lunch with President Jiang and his wife, and touring the Great Wall of China.

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