June 6, 2008

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Bonnie, for inviting¹ me here. I'm proud to be here with Secretary of State Rice, Secretary of Treasury² Paulson. Ambassador, thank you for being here.

I've just been briefed about how the United States private sector³, faith-based community, NGO community is responding to what is a horrible human disaster in China -- estimated 70,000 people have died, 18,000 people missing, 15 million people homeless, and the tally⁴ is still being counted. There's no question this is a major human disaster that requires a strong response from the Chinese government, which is what they're providing, but it also responds [sic] a compassionate⁶ response from nations to whom -- that have got the blessings⁷, good blessings of life, and that's us.

I told the folks assembled here that I'm not surprised that the American people have responded to this challenge. And the reason I'm not surprised is we're a compassionate, decent nation that cares deeply about a stranger who hurts. And so the response of the -- so far of our American citizens have been unprecedented⁸ and unparalleled in its compassion⁵.

There will be more work that needs to be done. My message to the Chinese government is, thank you for welcoming our aid. Thank you for taking a firm response to this disaster, and just know the American people care about the people of China. When a brother and sister hurts, we care about it.

And so that's why our response has been so robust⁹ and so compassionate to date. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for showing the great compassion of America.

Thank you.

END 11:45 A.M. EDT