MME. CHIANG KAI-SHEK:

Mr. Presdent, members of the Senate of the United States, ladies and gentlemen, I am overwhelmed by the warmth and spontaneity of the welcome of the American people, of whom you are the representatives. I did not know that I was to speak to you today at the Senate except to say, "How do you? I am so very gald to see you," and to bring the greetings of my people to the people of America. However, just before coming here, the Vice President told me that he would like to have me say a few words to you.

I am not a very good extemporaneous speaker; in fact I am no speaker at all; but I am not so very much discouraged, because a few days ago I was at Hyde Park, and went to the President's library. Something I saw there encouraged me , and made me feel that perhaps you will not expect overmuch of me in speaking to you extemporaneously. What do you think I saw there? I saw many things, but the one thing which interested me most of all was that in a glass case there was the first draft of one of the President's speeches, a second draft, and on and on up to the sixth draft. Yesterday I happened to mention this to the President, and told him that I am extremely glas that he he had to write so many drafts when he is such a well-known and acknowledgely fine speaker. His reply to me was that sometimes he writes 12 drafts of a speech. So my remarks here today, being extemporaneous, I am sure you will make allowances for me.

The traditional friendship between your country and mine has a history of 160 years. I feel -- and I believe that I am not the only one who feels this way -- that there are a great many similarities between your people and mine, and that these similaries are the basis of our friendship.

I should like to tell you a little story which will illustrate this belief.When General Doolittle and his men went ot boom Tokyo, on their return some of your boys had to bail out in the interior of China. One of them later told me that he had to bail out out of his ship, and that when he landed on Chinese soil and saw the populace running towards him, he just waved his arm and shouted the only Chinese word he knew, "Mei-kuo, Mei-kuo," which means "America."(Applause.)Literally translated from the Chinese it means "Beautiful countries." This boy said our people laughed and almost hugged him, and greeted him like a long long lost brother. He further told me that he had come home when he saw our people; and that was the first time he had ever been to China. (Applause.)

I came to your country as a little girl. I know your people. I have lived with them. I spent the formative years of my life amongst your people. I speak your language, not only the language, not only the language of your hearts, but also your tongue. So coming here today I feel that I am also coming home. (Applause.)

I believe, however, that it is not only I who am coming home; I feel that if the Chinese people could speak to you in your own tongue, or if you could understand our tongue, they would tell you that basically and fundamentally we are fighting for the same cause (great applause); that we have identity of ideals; that the "four freedoms," which your President proclaimed to thw world, resound throughout our vast land as the gong of freedom, the gong of freedom of the United Nations, and the death knell of the aggressions. (Applause.)

I assure you that our people are willing and eager to cooperate with you in the realization of these ideals, because we want to see it that they do not echo as empty phrases, but became relities for ourselves, for our children, for our children's children, and for all mankind.(Applause.)

How are we going to realize these ideals? I think I shall tell you a little story which just came to my mind. as you know, China is a very old nation. we have a history of 5,000 years. When we were obliged to evacuate Hankow and go into the hinterland to carry on and continue our resistance against aggression, the Generalissimo and I passed one of our fronts, the Changsha front. One day we went into the Heng-yang Mountains, where there are traces of a pavillion called "Rub-the-mirror" pavillion, which was built over 2,000 years ago. It will perhaps interest you to hear the story of that pavillion.

Two thousand years ago near that spot was an old Buddhist temple. One of the young monks went there, and all day along he sat cross-legged, with his hands clasped before him in an attitude of prayer, and murmured "Amita-Buddha! Amita-Buddha! Amita-Buddha!" He murmured and chanted day after day, because he hoped that he would acquire grace.

The Father Prior of that temple took a piece of brick and rubbed it against a stone hour after hour, day after day, week after week. The little acolyte, being very young, sometimes cast his eyes around to see what the old father Prior was doing. The old Father Prior just kept on his work of rubbing the brick against the stone. So one day the young acolyte said to him, "Father Prior, what are you doing day after day rubbing this brick on the stone?" The Father Prior replied, "I am trying to make a mirror out of the brick." The young acolyte said, "But it is impossible to make a mirror out of a brick, Father Prior." "Yes," said the Father Prior, "and it is just as impossible for you to acquire grace by doing nothing except murmur 'Amita-Buddha' all day long, day in and day out." (Applause.)

So, my friends, I feel that it is necessay for us not only to have ideals and to proclaim that we have them, it is necessay that we act to implement them. (Applause.) And so to you, gentlemen of the Senate, and to you ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, I say that without the active help of all of us our leaders cannot implement these ideals. It is up to you and to me to take to heart the lesson of "Rub-the-mirror" pavillion.

I thank you. (Great applause, Senators and their guests rising.)

Following her address, Mme. Chiang Kai-shek and the distinguished visitors accompanying her and the other guests of the Senate were encorted from the Chamber.

At 12 o'clock and 30 minutes p.m., the Senate reassembled, when it was called to order by the Vice President.

President Roosevelt,Eleanor Roosevelt and Madame Chiang during 1943

Statement on the Death of Madame Chiang Kai-shek
Statement by the President of United States of America

October 24, 2003

Laura and I were saddened to learn of the death of Madame Chiang Kai-shek. Madame Chiang was a close friend of the United States throughout her life, and especially during the defining struggles of the last century. Generations of Americans will always remember and respect her intelligence and strength of character. On behalf of the American people, I extend condolences to Madame Chiang's family members and many admirers around the world.

George W. Bush