Perched on a low stool in a Beijing bookstore, Wei Song says he hopes President Clinton's visit will help Americans understand what Chinese know: Their ancient nation is undergoing breathtaking change.
"I hear there are some American groups who look down on China, who particularly don't understand China," Wei, a college student, said in a whisper while light jazz played on the store's stereo speakers."This country is changing so fast that it's different every year. Compared with 20 years ago, you can't believe it's the same world."
Chinese are upbeat about Clinton's visit, though perhaps not quite as excited as they were about the Chicago Bulls winning the NBA finals. In Beijing, American music fills the airwaves, McDonald's can be found in nearly every neighborhood, "Titanic" draws big crowds and Michael Jordan is an icon.
What many Chinese are hoping is that Clinton and his entourage of more than 1,000 U.S. government officials and reporters will get an updated picture of life in China.
Chinese hope Clinton's trip will introduce Americans to China's ancient past and its modern aspirations, easing the way for warmer ties.
"There's no one in China now who doesn't think the United States is important," Jia Qingguo, a professor of international relations at Beijing University, said in an interview. "Most want good cooperation because good relations with the United States are in China's interest for its economic modernization."
After all, some Chinese say, China is no longer a world away from America as it was just a few decades ago in the "Little Red Book" era of Chairman Mao Tse-tung.
Jordan and the Bulls' victory over the Utah Jazz was closely followed on television by many in Beijing. A Chinese teenager cycling through Beijing's dusty streets Tuesday proudly sported what appeared to be a brand new Bulls shirt with Jordan's name on the back.
A recent survey named Jordan the second most widely known American in China after Thomas Edison, scoring a 69 percent recognition rate.
In the same survey, of the 76 percent who knew of Clinton's impending visit, 85 percent thought it would help improve relations.
The survey of 1,000 people in nine Chinese cities was conducted May 28-31, a month before Clinton's arrival, by a market research company under the State Statistics Bureau. No margin of error was given.
Yu Puxiang, a man in his 30s on a business trip to Beijing, said Clinton and Jiang's most important topics would be the nuclear tests in South Asia and economic ties between China and the United States.
"It's a chance to show support for world peace," he said, a red bookbag slung over his shoulder as he walked down Wangfujing, one of Beijing's main shopping streets.
Ji Jinyan, who works in an art supply store, said it was only good manners for Clinton to accept Jiang's invitation, after Jiang visited the United States last fall.
"It's very good. He's never been here before," Ji said.
One of China's small circle of dissidents welcomed Clinton's trip, the first by a U.S. president in nine years, but said it should not be seen as a reward to Chinese leaders.
"We cannot agree with the argument that Clinton's China visit is because China's human rights situation has greatly improved," Qin Yongmin said..