Remarks by the Vice President at a Breakfast with the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing and the U.S.-China Business Council

St. Regis Hotel
Beijing, People's Republic of China

10:12 A.M. (Local)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  And I'm so late you probably thought you were going to hear from the 48th Vice President of the United States.   (Laughter.)  I apologize.  I always, when I’m late at home, always blame it on the President.  But I can’t do that today, and I apologize for keeping you waiting. 

I remember 220 years ago, when I was in college, you only had to wait 10 minutes for a professor, 20 minutes for a full professor.  The only full professor in the Biden family is my wife -- you didn’t have to wait this long.  But thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to speak with you all.

Let me begin by saying one thing about competition.  I’ve told this to Vice President Xi and then President Xi, in all the time I had to spend with him, is that one of the things that has happened in the last 20 years, as the world has become more competitive, it’s awakened the competitive spirit in the United States.  Competition is stamped into our DNA.  And if there’s anything remotely approaching a level playing field, we’ll do just fine -- just fine.

And so I want to thank the American Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Business Council for inviting me here today.  You are living the U.S.-China relationship every single day, and you know the opportunities, but you also know the obstacles.  And it’s great to be back together one last time here in Beijing with our Ambassador, Gary Locke.  I say one last time because he is going to be heading back to his home state of Washington after a very distinguished career, which I don’t think is anywhere near ended, as both governor, member of the Cabinet, as well as the Ambassador. 

And Gary and I were speaking this morning as I was -- there was a telephone call, they said I’m required upstairs.  And one of the things I like about Gary -- there’s no member of -- no governor or member of Cabinet that I have enjoyed working with more, because Gary speaks English.  By that, I mean not English versus Chinese; I mean plain versus complicated.  (Laughter.)  And so when Gary speaks, everyone understands exactly what he means. 

And as you know better than I, communication is the currency, and particularly the currency that is needed most here in China.  He’s been an Ambassador to the Chinese government, but also to the Chinese people, and he will be missed.  I remember, I was here shortly after Gary arrived and every newspaper you’d pick, even though I don’t read Chinese, I’d see Gary’s picture -- because he connected.  He connected immediately with the Chinese people as a representative of our country and knowing -- the Chinese people knowing he was reaching out not just to the government, but to them.

I had a chance since I’ve been here -- it’s been a very rapid visit, and it’s been 14-hour days, but very useful -- I had a chance to talk with Vice President Li, and I will spend several hours -- and I spent I guess almost four and a half hours with President Xi.  And I’m honored that he would give me the time to go into such detail, both in a private bilat with him as well as an expanded, as well as a lovely dinner he hosted for me and a few of my colleagues.  Later, I’ll be meeting with Premier Li. 

And I want to talk to you about much of what -- some of what I’ve talked to all of them about and what I believe to be are next steps in the U.S.-China relationship. 

We’re trying to build a new kind of relationship between major powers, one that’s different, one that is defined by constructive cooperation, healthy competition, and a shared respect for an agreed upon new set of rules of the road and international norms for the 21st century. 

After World II, our grandfathers and fathers and mothers put in place a structure that accommodated the economic change that took place in the world and set up a new set of rules of the road for the remainder of the 20th century.  We’re in a different place now.  You all know it better than I do.  We use the phrase in colloquial conversation in all our countries that it’s a “global economy.”  But it’s truly a global economy -- a global economy. 

My colleagues always kid me about quoting Irish poets all the time.  They think I do it because I’m Irish.  I do it because they’re the best poets.  (Laughter.)  And William Butler Yeats wrote a poem called Easter Sunday 1916, about the first rising in Ireland in the 20th century.  And he had a line in it that better describes, I would argue, the Pacific Basin in the year 2013 than it did in his Ireland in 1916.  He said, "All is changed, changed utterly, a terrible beauty has been born."

We’re at a moment, a window, as they say, of opportunity.  How long it will remain open remains to be seen -- where we can potentially establish a set of rules of the road that provide for mutual benefit and growth of both our countries and the region, that set down sort of the tracks for progress in the 21st century.  I think it is that profound.  I think that’s the place, that’s the inflection point we are at in our relationship now -- not only with China but the entire region.

And so the only path to realizing this vision for the future is through tangible, practical cooperation and managing our differences effectively.  We’ve not tried this before.  We’ve not tried this before.  This is going to be difficult.  But if we get it right, the outcome for our children and grandchildren can be profound -- profoundly positive.

But to move this relationship forward, there is no substitute for direct and personal engagement between leaders.  President Xi pointed out to me, because I had an opportunity when he was vice president to spend some considerable time with him at the request of President Hu and then -- and President Obama.  He made indirect reference to -- there was a famous American politician named Tip O’Neill, who I admired a great deal and was sort of a mentor when I was a young 29-year-old senator coming into Congress.  And he’s famous for having said all politics is local.  Well, I believe all politics is personal, including international politics. 

Personal relationships are the only vehicle by which you build trust.  It doesn’t mean you agree, but trust to know that the man or woman on the other side of the table is telling you precisely what they mean, even if you don’t want to hear it.  That’s why President Obama asked me to make this visit, and that’s why President Xi and I spent so much time together yesterday discussing in great detail a whole range of issues we face together that are difficult for both of us to navigate in our own political system.

These were very candid conversations.  I know it shocks you to think I would be candid.  I know that’s a shocking assertion. No one has doubted that I mean exactly what I say.  The problem is I sometimes tend to say all that I mean.  (Laughter.)  But because our relationship is so complex, getting it right isn’t going to be easy, and it’s going to require direct straightforwardness with one another about our interests, our concerns and, quite frankly, our expectations.  And that was the nature of the discussion yesterday.

Let me start with economics, not because this is a business audience, but because ultimately what matters most on both sides is our ability to deliver better for our people without it being viewed as a zero-sum game.  I have said since I met with Deng Xiaoping as a young senator, with very senior senators, that China’s economic growth is very much in the interest of the United States of America -- very much in our interest.  In my meetings with President Xi, he and I spent a good deal of our time discussing the outcomes of China’s third plenum.  China’s leaders have stated their ambition to move China toward a system where the market plays a “decisive role.”  That is a very, very big order that will require on the part of -- and I’m confident he possesses it -- the leadership of this country and the President. 

But, in fact, many of the reforms China’s leaders are proposing actually match the priorities we have raised with China over the years.  Leveling the playing field for private and foreign-owned companies -- it’s going to be a difficult, difficult transition.  Protecting intellectual property and trade secrets, which is essential.  It’s not a surprise that a number of American companies are coming home in their manufacturing.  Why?  Well, we have very productive workers, but also we have court systems that are totally transparent.  Intellectual property is protected.  It matters.  And I think it’s becoming apparent to our competitors around the world that it matters for their own economic growth.  Opening service sectors to private and foreign investment and moving to market -- to a market-demand exchange rate. 

These are welcome steps, but they will be difficult steps, and there’s no need to wait till 2020.  Again, the Chinese leadership in private has been very candid with me about the difficulty, but the determination they have to meet this, by any standard, very ambitious goal.  Of course, what matters most at the end of the day will be implementation.  There’s an old Saxon expression -- the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  The proof of the pudding is in the eating.  But I have no doubt that President Xi and his leadership and his primary advisors intend on, mean to, are committed to making the third plenum a reality. But it is going to require substantial commitment and follow-through.

Reform anywhere is challenging.  There are always intense interests.  I know you all are so happy about our views on Wall Street reform -- not easy, but a minor -- a minor -- change compared to what the Chinese leadership has taken on.  But the more China delivers on its proposed reforms the strong our bilateral trade and investment relationship will be.

And there's a lot of work to do, and I know that many of you have concerns that need to be dealt with in the process.  There are a number of areas where, in the next two years, we can and should make progress immediately.  We have an opportunity to improve intellectual property protection, resolve outstanding trade disputes that are holding us back.  We have an opportunity to significantly expand our cooperation on energy and climate change -- where we have overwhelmingly mutual interest.  Helping China achieve new vehicle emission standards and energy-transparent goals is that we committed to this week.

Implementing our agreement on HFCs -- we have an opportunity to protect the health and well-being of our people by increasing the safety of food and drugs.  And today we've agreed on increase of the number of U.S. inspectors who are operating in China. 

We have an opportunity in the months ahead to make significant progress in negotiating a bid, a bilateral investment treaty and much more. 

The third plenum also speaks to social and political reform and identifies some important near-term steps that they want to implement -- an end to China's program of reeducation through forced labor, easing the one-child policy, a commitment to deeper judicial and legal reforms.  Any major economic power in the 21st century, these are all going to become essential requirements in order to sustain growth, in my humble opinion, through the first half of the 21st century.

As was pointed out yesterday by the President, quoting back to me, I always say I never tell another man his business, or suggest to another leader what's in the interests of his country. But the interests laid out in the third plenum seem to be very much in our mutual interest.  There are many more steps China can take to open its politics and society as well as its economy.  And as I've said before, this is actually, from our perspective, in China's interest, notwithstanding it's for them to determine their interest.  Because history tells us that innovation is the currency of 21st century success.  Innovation thrive where people breathe freely, speak freely, are able to challenge orthodoxy, where newspapers can report the truth without fear of consequences.

We have many disagreements, and some profound disagreements, on some of those issues right now, in the treatment of U.S. journalists.  But I believe China will be stronger and more stable and more innovative if it respects universal human rights. 

I was asked why we always talk about human rights.  The point I try to make wherever I go in the world when that discussion comes up is we are a nation of immigrants.  The vast majority of your ancestors who came to America came because their human rights were being violated.  It is stamped into the DNA of Americans.  No President, no matter how much he or she would like to avoid speaking to it, is able to remain silent without suffering consequences from the American public.  It is who we are.  Not that we're the citadel of human rights; we have much progress to make ourselves. 

As businesses know well, prosperity critically depends upon predictability and stability.  The United States and our allies have guaranteed peace and security in this region for more than 60 years, providing the conditions for the remarkable economic progress in the region, particularly China.  Our relationship with China is complex, though.  We have our differences and they are real.  But there's nothing inevitable about a conflict with China -- nothing inevitable about a conflict with China.  Wholesome competition and strong competition is fundamentally different than conflict. 

In fact, we see considerable common interest on the security side.  A secure and peaceful Asia Pacific enables economic growth for the entire region.  This area of the world is going to be the economic engine of the 21st century; in halting the spread of weapons of mass destruction, including North Korea, to stabilizing nuclear missile program, where we have real cooperation; in greater access to affordable and clean sources of energy.  It's easier to begin to talk about that in the United States and in China because as -- my President kids me -- I often say reality has a way of intruding.  Reality has a way of intruding.  And it has intruded in both our countries in terms of global warming and the effects on air quality -- storms, natural disasters.  And it is overwhelmingly in our mutual interest that we share the capacity each of us may have to deal with a more healthy environment.

We need to keep building practical cooperation and manage areas where we do not see eye-to-eye.  Everybody focuses on where we disagree with the Chinese.  We disagree with our allies in other parts of the world.  But China's recent and sudden announcement of the establishment of a new Air Defense Identification Zone has, to state the obvious, caused significant apprehension in the region. 

And I was very direct about our firm position and our expectations in my conversations with President Xi.  But I also put this in a broader context.  The Asia Pacific region will be the driver of the global economy, to repeat myself, in the 21st century, and as China's economy grows, its stake in regional peace and stability will continue to grow as well because it has so much more to lose.  That's why China will bear increasing responsibility to contribute positively to peace and security.

That means taking steps to reduce the risk of accidental conflict and miscalculation, and reaffirming -- reaffirming that we want to have better predictability and refraining from taking steps that will increase tension.  And it means pursuing -- this means pursuing crisis management mechanisms and effective channels for communications with its neighbors.

These are some of the things I discussed with Chinese leaders.  The United States has a profound stake in what happens here because we need, and we are, and will remain a Pacific power diplomatically, economically, and militarily.  That's just a statement of fact. 

When I first visited China back in 1979, as has been pointed out, I came to the conclusion then that I still share now, that China's economic growth then I thought would be good for, and now I am confident is good for America and the world.  But it has never been inevitable.  It takes work to build trust and make a habit out of cooperation, to be clear, predictable and straight with one another when we disagree, and to escape the traps that set other powers before us down a path of conflict. 

That is the work of leaders and diplomats, but it is also of citizens and businesspeople like all of you assembled before me. I believe that our success or failure in building a U.S.-China relationship that will define the world for our grandchildren to live in depends not just on political leaders, but on you as well.  I believe that the shared prosperity that you help create is part of the glue that will hold together this relationship.  So I thank you.  I thank you for your commitment.  I thank you for your hard work.  I thank you for staying in the game.  And I wish you all a great deal of luck because your success strengthens the entire relationship. 

And if we get this relationship right, together China and America, the region and the world will be better off for it for a long time to come, and that is not hyperbole.  That is -- as an old Western movie used to say in America, that ain’t brag, ma’am. That's just fact.  It is a fact that if we get this right the prospects for the 21st century being peaceful, secure and everyone sharing in the growing prosperity is real. 

So thank you all for what you do.  And may God bless you all and may God protect our troops.  Thank you very much.  Appreciate you.  (Applause.)

END
10:35 A.M. (Local)

Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden in Closing at Roundtable Discussion on Women in the Japanese Economy

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you, Ambassador.  Look, first of all, thank you all very much.  This has been both interesting, intriguing, and very important. 

As was pointed out, I’m not going to identify each of the panelists, for I haven’t asked their permission to who said what. But as has been pointed out, Japan, like many other countries around the world, in Europe and in Asia as well, is running into a bit of a conundrum, which is that birth rates are slowing and/or declining and/or in the negative territory, both in Europe and in parts of Asia -- in Japan.  And I am often kidded by the President for using the phrase I guess I use frequently that reality has a way of intruding.  Reality is intruding in a way, not only here in Japan but around the world, to make it clear to national leaders that, as Nick Kristof said, women are half the sky.  Women are half the sky.  They are half the brainpower.  They are half the energy.  They’re half the innovation.  And so many countries, including to some degree ours, wastes that asset -- waste that asset. 

And so it’s not only the right thing to do based on issues of equality that we feel very strongly about -- the President and I and the Ambassador, both Ambassadors -- but it has profound, direct economic impact on the GDP of a country.  And so one of the good things that’s occurred is the growing realization, in some places out of necessity -- I’m not just speaking in Japan now -- out of necessity, that women have to be fully included and engaged in the workforce and in leadership.

I said earlier that some advocates argue that the reason to have women more involved in leadership positions is they’re gentler and kinder.  I’ve never found that to be the case.  (Laughter.)  They’re as tough, they’re as strong, they’re as everything as a man is, and vice versa.  But the important thing that’s different is, just like men, they bring a different perspective -- a different perspective.  And that perspective sometimes shines the light on the avenue that no one thought about pursuing.

I was telling them I recently met with Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore -- he is much older now.  I think he’s 92.  He’s not in the same physical condition, but his mind is as sharp and as incisive as it ever has been.  And I asked him -- I said, what’s going on in this part of the world?  What’s going on in China now?  What’s going on in India?  He said, “Well, they’re in America looking for the black box.  They’re looking for that thing that allows Americans to remake themselves as a country every generation or two.”  And I said, I can tell them what’s in the black box -- a constant stream of immigration and diversity, bringing totally new perspectives, totally new perspectives, and ultimately being totally integrated into the society, and it’s stamped in every American’s DNA that you get rewarded for challenging orthodoxy. 

Well, the most important orthodoxy to challenge around the world is the orthodoxy that says somehow, women have a limited role.  Somehow, women -- there are certain things women can’t do. I’ve said this many times in America, and I’ll continue to say it.  I personally will not rest till my four granddaughters have every single, solitary opportunity my grandson has.  And I mean every.  I don’t mean some; I mean every.  There’s not a single thing that a man can do that a woman cannot do.  And until we begin to face up to that, we’re going to be having an incredible amount of wasting assets out there.  But it’s also -- guess what -- the right thing to do.

And the last thing I’ll say is that I, too, compliment Prime Minister Abe on the initiative to bring more women into the workforce, sustain them in the workforce, give them similar opportunities.  And the $3 billion commitment that Japan has made around the world for women in areas of the world where we have -- who not only don’t have job opportunities, but are treated as property, where they are viewed as being owned by their husbands -- cultures where people say it’s all right to physically abuse a woman.  There is never, never, never, in any culture, anyplace, anywhere, that makes it justified for a man to treat a woman physically in an inhumane way.  I don’t care what the culture is. It’s about time we shred these notions.

And so Japan is leading the way in many of these areas around the world, and it looks like it’s decided to write a new chapter.  And by the way, we in America have a long way to go as well.  But there’s an inevitability to this march.  There’s an inevitability to it.  And I’m delighted to be here with six people, two men and four women, who have slightly different perspectives on how to do it, but absolutely firmly committed to the notion that the women of Japan hold Japan’s future in their hand as well as any man in Japan holds the future.

So thank you all for having me.  It’s been a great honor to be with you.

END

Remarks to the Press by Vice President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan

The Kantei
Tokyo, Japan

PRIME MINISTER ABE:  (As interpreted.)  I am very much delighted to welcome Vice President Biden here in Japan after meeting in Singapore in July.  We had discussion in a candid manner over various matters of interest between the United States and Japan an issues surrounding this region.

First and foremost, Vice President Biden and I confirmed that the United States and Japan alliance will continue to play a pivotal role for peace and stability of this region.

Then we discussed announcement of establishing East China Sea air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, by China and confirmed that we should not tolerate the attempt by China to change status quo unilaterally by force, and we will continue to work closely in dealing with the situation based on strong U.S.-Japan alliance.

Above all, we reaffirmed that policies and measures, including those on operation of the self-defense forces and U.S. forces will not change, and that we will meet in close cooperation.  We further agreed that we will not condone any action that could threaten safety of civilian aircraft.

Then I explained that the government of Japan will work on construction over time of a replacement facility in a resolute manner, given its extreme importance in advancing cooperation based on alliance.

On TPP, I stated that at the final phase of negotiation, political solution has to be sought on difficult issues for participating countries.  I explained farther that Japan and the United States need to solve major pending issues through cooperation, and then should show a path toward conclusion of negotiation within this year.

We also affirmed that U.S.-Japan cooperation is not confined to this region, but rather is expanding in diversified sectors throughout the world, such as cooperation in Southeast Asia, support to Middle East, support for women, health care among others.  And we will continue to work together in those areas.

I look to continue our discussion over dinner reception after this on various topics as a testament of Japan-U.S. cooperation relationship.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your hospitality and for the great discussion.  We had good meetings in Singapore, and you had a great meeting with President Obama.  And I was present, and it’s good to see you again.

We meet at a moment, Mr. Prime Minister, when a new Asia Pacific is emerging with limitless potential, but also new dynamics, rising tensions and the risk of miscalculation.

And just as we have for more than six decades, the United States looks to our alliance with Japan as the cornerstone of stability and security in East Asia, and we are fully committed to our announced strategy of rebalancing as well in the Pacific.

The Prime Minister and I also discussed how to make an already very strong alliance even stronger, how to modernize it to meet the challenges and opportunities of this new century. 

The President and I are determined, the United States is determined to implement our roadmap to relocate the base for Futenma as quickly as possible.  As we discussed in some length the strengthening of the U.S.-Japanese alliance, it’s also important to see closer cooperation and better relations between our allies -- Japan and South Korea -- and as was discussed briefly between our allies and China.

I told the Prime Minister in the larger bilateral meeting, as well as of our private meeting that I witnessed firsthand, and we appreciate greatly the outreach he has made to Japan’s neighbors.  It’s in not only Japan’s interest, but it’s in our interest as well.

Of course, as the Prime Minister mentioned our alliance extends far beyond Northeast Asia.  It’s a global platform to act on values and interests that we share.  And today we talked about new global commitments.  The new initiative to support disaster relief and recovery, training in Southeast Asia, building on the work that we’ve done together in the Philippines to respond to the deadly typhoon, stronger cooperation on maritime security throughout the Asia Pacific; and new U.S.-Japanese development dialogue to help communities from the Lower Mekong to Sub Saharan Africa.

And lastly and consequentially, an $800 million contribution from Japan, unlocking an additional $400 million from the United States to combat the worldwide spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. 

We have no ally in closer collaboration with us on the many challenges facing us in the Middle East, whether it’s the issue of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran, supporting the Palestinian economy, which Japan is doing and has done, or responding to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.  In each of these matters and many more, Japan is making significant contributions to global security.  And we thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for those efforts.  They benefit us all.

Today, as the Prime Minister mentioned, we discussed China’s sudden announcement of a new air defense identification zone.  We, the United States, are deeply concerned by the attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea.  This action has raised regional tensions and increased the risk of accidents and miscalculation.  We are closely consulting with our allies on this matter, here in Japan and in Korea, and I will -- which I will soon visit later this week.

The world should not forget that our alliances have been critical for the stability that has made this region’s remarkable progress possible.  And I told the Prime Minister that we will remain steadfast in our alliance commitments.

The United States has an interest in the lowering of tensions in this vital region, as I believe all the countries of Northeast Asia share that same interest with us.

This underscores the need for crisis management mechanisms and effective channels of communication between China and Japan to reduce the risk of escalation.

I’ll be raising these concerns with great specificity directly when I meet with Chinese leadership the day after tomorrow.

Mr. Prime Minister, if you’ll forgive a personal reference, my father had an expression.  He said, the only conflict that is worse than one that is intended is one that is unintended.  The prospect for miscalculation mistake is too high.

We also spoke at length about our economic relationships. We’re in the final stages of negotiating a Trans-Pacific Partnership that would link together a dozen economies from Singapore to Peru, 40 percent of the world’s GDP.

To state the obvious, for the countries involved, the decisions and the compromises that need to be made are very sensitive and very difficult.  The upsides of getting such an agreement done are almost beyond comprehension.  They're incredibly positive for all countries involved.

But the reward does not diminish the realization of how difficult the compromises needed are -- needed to be made are.  We need a comprehensive agreement that involves longstanding differences between the United States and Japan, including issues like agriculture and automobiles.  And it’s difficult.

The TTP will increase trade and investment, help our businesses create jobs and put in place a powerful constituency for open markets, for a rules-based competition and for higher standards for labor, the environment, and intellectual property protection.

Unlike the bulk of the 20th century, the 21st century is a global economy.  And we need to establish new economic rules of the road that allow our countries to prosper together.

And finally, as we discussed, beyond our alliance, our military alliance, our economic cooperation, our global cooperation, it is ultimately based on the people-to-people ties that are the lifeblood of this alliance.  It rests on commitment to democracy, shared values and a genuine respect for one another. 

I visited Japan not long after the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami.  I witnessed firsthand the devastation, the neighborhoods that have been destroyed.  But I also witnessed something else -- the rebuilding and the indomitable spirit of the Japanese people.  It was truly impressive.

In my capacity as United States senator and Vice President, I visited many disaster areas around the world over the past three decades.  But I’ve never seen the kind of response that I saw here.  It was an absolute worldwide advertisement of the character and the spirit and the culture of the Japanese people.  No one complained.  Everyone got back up.  They all continued to move forward, it was remarkable.  And it is remarkable.

Mr. Prime Minister, I’m not sure there is a more resilient nation on Earth than yours.  I was proud that we were able to play a small part to help save lives -- not only with U.S. troops, but with American volunteers who know and love Japan; many of whom are still here rebuilding.

As a consequence, Mr. Prime Minister, we’ve created an initiative named after the Japanese word for friendship that is going to bring together young Japanese and young American leaders.

Mr. President [sic], it’s not only our alliance, it’s the friendship between our countries and our people.  It’s tried and it’s true.  It’s been tested by time and tragedy, and it still grows stronger to the benefit of both our countries, the region and I would suggest to the world.

Thank you, Mr. President.  I’m looking forward to dinner.  (Laughter.) 

END

Readout of Vice President Biden’s Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc of Turkey

Vice President Biden met with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc today to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues that promote our shared interests.  The Vice President underscored the value both he and the President place on continuing to work with Turkey to broaden and deepen this vital partnership.