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American Morning

Bush China Trip: Terrorism Center Stage in Meetings

Aired October 17, 2001 - 09:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush left on his first trip abroad since the September 11 terrorist attacks -- and the war on terrorism will be a major focus during his trip to Shanghai, to meet with Asian and Pacific leaders.

CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us with details.

He has had wheels up, right? We had a live shot about 20 minutes ago. We saw the Air Force One taxiing. He is up in the air, right?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We can report he is up in the air, Paula, en route. The first stop will be Sacramento, California. The president will give a progress report to labor and business groups regarding this campaign against terrorism, and then he will also be applauding the work of the armed forces, speaking at an Air Force base in California, and then it's off to Shanghai.

There are two goals here. One is symbolic message. The president has been encouraging Americans to get on with business as usual, so the president felt it important to continue and to take this previously scheduled trip, even though it has been curtailed quite bit.

The second goal is definitely trying to strengthen the anti- terrorism coalition. We saw the president leaving the White House just about an hour ago, as you mentioned, Paula, after having breakfast. We saw the president after he had breakfast with congressional leaders. We saw him shaking the hands of the Congressional leaders, shaking the vice president's hand, and then getting aboard Marine One.

As I was noting, a big focus here is for the president to have face-to-face meetings with many leaders. This is a group of 21 nations -- there is the president now -- a big focus is strengthening this anti-terrorism coalition, working on what each country can do in the financial, intelligence, military fronts to combat terrorism, the president's national security adviser Dr. Condoleezza Rice briefing reporters the other day, saying how important it is for each country to play a role, particularly in targeting the al Qaeda network.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: What we do want to do, though, is to work with every government in which there is a substantial al Qaeda presence, to figure out a strategy for rooting it out. Because it is like cutting out a cancer now in 60-plus countries. You've got to get to these cells and root them out and disrupt them before they strike again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And the president's meetings will include some face-to- face meetings with the leaders of Russia, China, South Korea, as well as Malaysia. Again, the president will be there for 2 1/2 days. And Paula, as mentioned earlier, this is an Asian-Pacific economic cooperation summit; it will focus on the global economy, but also on terrorism -- according to a draft of the statement, which will be released at end of the summit -- we have the draft already -- it will condemn the attacks of September 11 against United States as, quote "a profound threat to the peace, prosperity, and security of all people of all faiths of every nation." So important words there, but the administration is hoping it will be matched by actions.

Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: Kelly, thanks so much.

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