U.S. Consulate General Press Releases (1998)

News Release
June 24, 1998
Wednesday

FIRST LADY'S ITINERARY FOR CHINA TRIP

First Lady will focus on challenges women face

Washington -- First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to China with President Clinton from June 24-July 3, 1998. Mrs. Clinton will participate in several events focusing on women's progress in the areas of education, health care, employment opportunities, legal rights, and political participation, and the continuing challenges women face. Specific details of the First Lady's public schedule will be released as they are available. Along with these separate events, the First Lady will accompany the President to events throughout the trip. Please refer to the President's press schedule when it is released for details of their activities together.

Following is the official White House text of the First Lady's itinerary:

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FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON'S TRIP TO CHINA JUNE 24-JULY 3, 1998

WASHINGTON -- First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to China with President Clinton from June 24-July 3, 1998. Mrs. Clinton will participate in several events focusing on women's progress in the areas of education, health care, employment opportunities, legal rights, and political participation, and the continuing challenges women face.

Highlights of the trip include a forum in Beijing with Chinese women and remarks by Mrs. Clinton, and a speech in Shanghai. Three years ago in Beijing, at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, Mrs. Clinton delivered a speech on women's rights. In her Shanghai speech, Mrs. Clinton will applaud the progress for women and girls that has been sparked around the world by the Beijing Women's Conference, and talk about how women in China are promoting the protection of their human rights and tackling the challenges created by the economic transformation and social change. She will also announce new exchange programs between women leaders in China and the United States.

In addition to the Beijing Forum and the Shanghai speech, the First Lady's separate activities during the President's trip include:

-- A discussion at the Women's Law and Legal Services Center at the Peking University School of Law, with Secretary of State Madeline Albright. The Center, a university-based organization funded by the Ford Foundation, seeks to promote women's consciousness of their legal rights, increased legal protection for women's rights, and improvements in the legal system's treatment of women.

-- In Beijing, Mrs. Clinton will meet the physicians from the Center for Disease Control and the Beijing Medical Center who have been involved in a successful collaboration in the prevention of birth defects which have produced results of global importance. She will witness the signing of a new commitment between medical researchers in our government and the Chinese government.

-- Remarks at a girls school In Shanghai to highlight raising the status of girls and improving their access to quality education.

-- In Shanghai, a visit to a job retraining center. Job retraining is an important tool for Chinese women adversely affected by the economic transformation.

-- Remarks at a new pediatric hospital in Shanghai which will serve more than a quarter million children each year and train medical personnel from throughout China. The hospital is the result of a partnership between Chinese and American, public, and private sponsors, including Project Hope and many U.S. corporations. At the hospital, Mrs. Clinton will meet the Chinese muppets of "Zhime Jie," the Chinese version of Sesame Street -- a joint project with the Children's Television Workshop arid Shanghai Television.

-- A visit to the Shanghai Synagogue, which has been recently restored. The synagogue played a historic role as a haven for persecuted Jews during World War II. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will accompany the First Lady.

-- A discussion with Hong Kong women leaders an the role of women in post-reversion Hong Kong. Secretary Albright will participate in this discussion.

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