Bush touts closer ties with Asia

Thursday 07th August, 12:54 PM JST

BANGKOK —

U.S. President George W Bush on Thursday boasted of the stronger ties with many Asian countries the United States has forged over the past seven-odd years, and vowed continued efforts to jointly tackle problems in the region. ‘‘When I became president, I brought a conviction that America is a Pacific nation and that our interests and ideals alike require stronger engagement in Asia than ever before,’’ he said in remarks made in Bangkok.

‘‘So over the past seven years, America has pursued four broad goals in the region: to reinvigorate our alliances, to forge new relationships with countries that share our values, to seize new opportunities for prosperity and growth, and to confront shared challenges together,’’ he said. Bush said that during his presidency so far, the United States has reinforced its relations with treaty allies in Asia, including Japan, South Korea and Thailand. ‘‘Confident and purposeful alliances are the best way to advance peace and prosperity in Asia,’’ he said. ‘‘I also worked to develop strong personal relationships with our allies’ elected leaders.’‘

Bush also said Washington has built deeper ties with other ‘‘free nations’’ in the region, as well as other major countries such as Indonesia.

‘‘Overall, America has improved our relationships with all of Asia’s major powers at the same time,’’ he said. ‘‘Experts would have said this was impossible because of the historical tensions between these nations.’‘

Bush is visiting the Thai capital as part of his three Asian-nation tour, which has already taken him to Seoul and will take him to Beijing.

For all the gains the United States and Asian partners have made, he said, they still face challenges and are working to confront them together.

Specifically, Bush said the six-party framework aimed at disbanding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is bearing some fruit but that more work needs to be done.

‘‘When I took office, there was no way for these nations to approach North Korea with a unified front. So America joined with China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia to create the six-party talks,’’ he said.

‘‘Faced with concerted pressure from all its neighbors, North Korea has pledged to dismantle its nuclear facilities and give up its nuclear weapons. Recently the regime submitted a declaration of its nuclear activities,’’ he said.

He then reiterated the need for Pyongyang to agree to set up a regime under which other six-party members can verify the declaration and grapple with outstanding concerns about its behavior, including its suspected uranium enrichment and nuclear proliferation.

He also did not mince his words when it came to Myanmar.

‘‘Together, we seek an end to tyranny in Burma…America reiterates our call on Burma’s military junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners. And we will continue working until the people of Burma have the freedom they deserve,’’ he said.

Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition National League for Democracy and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, has been in and out of detention since the early 1990s. She is currently under house arrest.

Furthermore, Bush expressed the ‘‘deep’’ concerns the United States harbors about religious and human rights conditions in China, his next and final leg of his Asian tour.

‘‘I have spoken clearly, candidly and consistently with China’s leaders about our deep concerns over religious freedom and human rights,’’ he said.

‘‘The United States believes the people of China deserve the fundamental liberty that is the natural right of all human beings,’’ he said, adding Washington ‘‘stands in firm opposition’’ to Beijing’s detention of political and religious activists.

Bush is expected to raise concerns about religious freedom and human rights when he meets Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing on Sunday.

Despite all the challenges, Bush painted a bright picture of Asia, saying, ‘‘I have great confidence that Asia will continue to grow in opportunity, achievement, and influence.’‘

‘‘I am confident because the forces of freedom and hope that unleashed the transformation of Asia can never be turned back,’’ he said. ‘‘And I am confident because I know the bonds between America and our friends in Asia will never be broken.’‘

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Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

reddragonguy at 02:54 PM JST - 7th August

I really want to laughs as such a low knowledges level leader! The leaders inside Tianmen square must be overjoyed,thats why Lenin said the interior of a fortress was the most vulnerable! The leader of the world greartest anti communist frontline goto kiss the toes of communists leaders!
reddragonguy at 02:55 PM JST - 7th August

Bush was worst than Nixon....dont you think so?
ChimpsAhead at 03:22 PM JST - 7th August

Bush has made closer ties woldwide , not just Asia.

There is wholehearted support for the war on terror from our Asian allies.

Thge threats of radical muslim groups is declining due to ico-operation between the US and its allies.
tclh at 09:29 PM JST - 7th August

"The leaders inside Tianmen square must be overjoyed...' I think the leaders inside Tianmen square are now all have SERIOUS problems with breathings because of heavy polluted Beijing air! Bush style of speaking is plain,direct to the point,easy to understand but he is still a politician so one should not underestimate him too much.
Nippon5 at 10:06 PM JST - 7th August

really want to laughs as such a low knowledges level leader

The leader of the world greartest anti communist frontline goto kiss the toes of communists leaders!

First you should get english figured out more before you talk of others intelligence. He might not be the brightest bulb on the christmas tree but Bush isnt an idiot. In 10 years or so all countries will kiss china`s rump as they will be far more secure financialy then the rest of us.

Cant wait until the election so I dont have to hear all the people complain about our idiot president...(but then again they will still complain just a different name) Im just tired of hearing Bush did this and that... we seem to forget about those other 535 guys that are to pass laws and decisions in Washingtion, Like Mccain and Obama they seem to pass the same laws as the main idiot does.
Betzee at 10:23 PM JST - 7th August

China revoked permission to enter the country for Joey Cheek, a gold medal-winning speedskater and former flag bearer who formed Team Darfur with the support of other U.S. Olympians to raise awareness of the crisis.

If GWB wanted to push the envelope here, he could have taken Joey on Air Force One whose passengers can enter the country visa-free. But that would surely have meant losing his front row spectator seats for the games.
some14some at 10:34 PM JST - 7th August

Closer ties with Asia? tobe more specific closer ties with NK and Pakistan
buggerlugs at 11:44 PM JST - 7th August

I just read on some real press pages that Bush has had the nerve to critize China for it's human rights violations... guess he has not been checkiing his own record of atrocities... Iraq and next maybe Iran.

Nippon 5; I understood your comment fine, ignore people who flame you for making a contribution.
undecidedbout08 at 11:46 PM JST - 7th August

All the pro-China, mindless anti-Americanism rhetoric here pretty much confirms how China and Chinese have made these Olympics the most politicized games since those of 1936...
Betzee at 03:49 AM JST - 8th August

White Hawk,

GWB never visited Taiwan nor has any president since 1979 when the US broke relations with that government and established them with the PRC recognizing it as "the sole government of China."

It was a really big diplomatic brouhaha back in 1996 when the then President of the ROC (Taiwan), Lee Teng-hui, visited his alma mater Cornell to give a speech. He was there in a private capacity but that did not placate Beijing....
Betzee at 03:55 AM JST - 8th August

All the pro-China, mindless anti-Americanism rhetoric here pretty much confirms how China and Chinese have made these Olympics the most politicized games since those of 1936...

What pro-China rhetoric? I simply pointed out GWB wants to promote change as long as it doesn't interfere with his leisure time. I guess he thinks somebody else should take all the risks, right? Perhaps he is what this poster really had in mind when, in response to an article on the monastic community (sangha) led Saffron Revolution in Burma last year, he wrote:

The Western "democratic" nations all expect the Burmese people and their Buddhist monks and nuns to go out into harm's way in the streets and to have their heads bashed by the military and police thugs. That is hardly supporting them in any meaningful manner...

http://www.newstatesman.com/world-affairs/2007/09/military-regime-burma-history
SezWho2 at 07:07 AM JST - 8th August

Betzee,

I realize you didn't actually take a position on Joey Cheek, but it seems to me that China has a good case for denying him permission to enter. The Games aren't supposed to be political and Team Darfur smacks of something that is overtly so.

Of course Bush could have smuggled him in, but that would have been extremely rude--and overtly political. And of course, as long as athletes compete under national flags instead of under their own names or under the names of corporate sponsors, the Games will always be political.
Betzee at 09:40 AM JST - 8th August

SezWho,

I learned of this Air Force One visa exemption from Clinton's visit to China in 1998. Critics, mostly GOP, asked why he wasn't bringing people with him that way? Not a recommended approach; and the Chinese people will take even more offense than their government.

As for GWB's trip, he had his heart set on attending the Olympics and simply wasn't going to cancel the trip. To placate critics, he explained he planned to "engage the Chinese leadership" exactly as Bill Clinton had, except Clinton got a televised meeting with his Chinese counterpart (such as offer would never be extended to GWB who is far less popular than his predecessor in China).

As for his non-game itinerary, various activities were proposed and discarded by his staff. Among others, have him attend an underground church service, give a "tear this wall down!" speech, etc. (GHWB was effective precisely because he eschewed such self-aggrandizing theatrics which are transparently aimed at a domestic audience rather than the host country populace.) Of course the Chinese were never going to sign off on any of that anyway.

But there is a real fear among WH staffers that it will look bad if GWB is seen yucking it up in some shiny new stadium having a good ole time while the Chinese police are cracking Tibetan heads elsewhere in Beijing.
undecidedbout08 at 09:42 AM JST - 8th August

Why worry? Bush is a Lame Duck. Remember?
Betzee at 10:00 AM JST - 8th August

Why worry? Bush is a Lame Duck. Remember?

Guess you haven't heard, GWB's post-presidential vocation will be "spreading freedom." This is a dry run...