[Question No.2: Submitted by fifth-year graduate student Eric D.Mortensen, regarding Tibet.]
Q: You said before you would not meet with the Dalai Lama if independence was addressed. Given that the Dalai Lama has now said he's willing to meet you without discussing independence, why, therefore, do you still refuse to meet with him?
A: Our policy toward the fourteenth Dalai Lama is a very clear-cut one, and you also referred to part of it in raising your question. That is, he must recognize publicly that Tibet is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China; that he must state publicly to give up Tibet [an] independence and that he must stop all activities aimed at splitting the motherland. However, much to my regret, up until this date, the fourteenth Dalai Lama has not stopped his separatist activities."
Fairbank Center for East Asian Research Director Ezra F.Vogel: President Jiang Zemin has also said that, although this has been unannounced, he is willing to take a question from the audience. This is completely unrehearsed, and I hope that some of you will think of a question. Can I call upon somebody in the audience here who would like to raise a question? President Jiang Zemin has said that he would like to hear, first of all, from an American, and so--[audience unrest is audible]. This is for an American audience--Yes, this woman right here. This woman--I did not recognize you, would you please sit down. I did not recognize you. I recognized this lady here. Well...-- OK, please go ahead.
Democracy, American-Style
[Question No. 3: This question, asked by Carroll Bogert '83, an international correspondent based in New York for Newsweek magazine, was inaudible in the broadcast. However, in an interview with The Crimson last night, Bogert said she asked Jiang: "Your protests have dogged your footsteps throughout this visit and you yourself have talked about the noise coming to your ears. What do you think about these protests? Do you think Americans are impolite people, or do you think this is a natural expression of democracy?"]
[Audience responds with laughter and applause to President Jiang Zemin's spoken response, and then the English translation is heard.]
A: I do have my understanding about the -- I do have my understanding about the general concept of democracy. However, during my current trip to the United States, starting from Hawaii, I felt more specific understanding of the American democracy, more specific than I learned from books.
[More laughter and applause from the audience greet both this response and the following remarks.]
Although I am already 71 years old, my ears still work very well, so when I was delivering my speech, I did hear the sound from the loudspeakers outside. However, I believe the only approach for me is to speak even louder than it.
Professor Vogel: When Ambassador Sasser was on the way, he said to me that just before arriving at Harvard, that President Jiang confessed to him that he felt like he was coming to a big examination at Harvard. I think we can say that he happily passed his examination, and we appreciate very much his willingness to come to Harvard. We see this as one step in continued dialogue which we hope will go on for many, many years, and forever.