Today is a very special day for all of us at Great Wall China Adoption! Our president, Snow Wu was honored with a special invitation from the White House to attend the Presidential Welcome of Chinese President Hu Jintao. Snow was asked to attend this historic event to represent Great Wall and the international adoption community due to her dedication to children and her unyielding advocacy of policies and laws that benefit child welfare, just as she was invited to meet President Jiang Zemin, President Hu's predecessor a few years ago.
At the South Lawn of the White House, Snow and Lindsay Yeakley, Great Wall's Public Affairs director, joined other distinguished guests in looking on as the U.S. Army Band played “Ruffles and Flourishes, Hail to the Chief, and Yankee Doodle in anticipation of the arrival of President & Mrs. Bush and President Hu and Madam Liu. President Hu is in the U.S. on his first state visit and arrived in the nation's capital after a visit with Bill Gates and Microsoft in Seattle, Washington.
As President Bush and President Hu were stepping out of the White House, they were warmly welcomed by the guests. After leading President Hu on the Review of Troops and greeting the crowd, President Bush took the podium to welcome a fellow leader.
President Bush began by stressing the importance of good relations between US and China. The President also addressed the joint interest of the U.S. and China in promoting and providing global security, thanking President Hu for using his efforts in hosting the six party talks with North Korea.
In addition, President Bush also discussed working with China to fight the avian flu and other pandemics that affect the world.
Although the U.S. and China might not always agree, President Bush stated that he is looking forward to future candid discussions as the relationship between the two nations further develops.
President Hu thanked President Bush and the great American people for the warm welcome on the beautiful spring day in Washington D.C. During his address President Hu stated that he traveled to the U.S. in hopes to expand common ground and to promote growth and all around constructive relations between the two countries in the 21st century. The President emphasized that the Chinese have always cherished the good will of the American people.
President Hu acknowledged the important position that China and the U.S. represent in the international community, sharing important focus on economic cooperation, intellectual protection and trade.
The Chinese President also stated that enhanced cooperation will mutually benefit China-U.S. relations that will improve conditions for the peoples of both countries. The President is also dedicated to working with the U.S. to promote the world's cause for human rights and social development.
President Hu ended his speech by stating that the 21st century has entrusted the people of the world with lofty goals: to maintain world peace, to maintain common development and to promote mankind.
As we all know, stable and good relationship between US and China is beneficial to the adoption community. Opportunities such as this allow Snow and Great Wall to remind leaders, both national and international, of the many children that are still in need of homes. While these leaders are very focused on pressing issues such as economics, terrorism and global development, Snow takes every opportunity to remind them that these children are part of our future and their plight should not be ignored.
