When Shanghai listeners tuned to their loved radio program "Citizens and Society" at noon of June 30, their anchor man was exceptionally excited.

"We are excited to tell you my audience, we now have visiting U.S. President Bill Clinton and Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi here as specially invited guests, to whom you may call in to exchange views on issues of Sino-U.S. relations and every thing of your concern," the anchor man Zou Anlong announced.

The two invited guests were then seated in front of microphones and ready for live broadcast. Being the city's first live radio talk program, "Citizens and Society" debuted six years ago and focuses on news and current events in Shanghai, China's leading industrial and commercial center.

Since it was the first time for the show to have a foreign head of state as a guest, its listeners started to jam the telephone lines right after the anchor man's announcement.

The first caller was a foreign trade businessman, Mr. Fang, who asked that against the background of the Southeast Asian financial crisis what the United States and China should do to promote bilateral trade and increase economic cooperation.

Clinton said that people saw difficulties developing in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, the Republic of Korea and in Japan, but "China has done a very good job in holding its currency stable, in trying to be a force of stability during the Southeast Asia crisis."

"We are working together, the United States and China, and we are working through the IMF to try to help all these countries stabilize their economies and then restore growth," Clinton said.

More important, he stressed, that the Japanese government should do more in this regard. "The last point I'd like to make is that we cannot see growth restored in Asia unless it is restored in Japan," he said.

Now, in Japan the people are about to have an election for the upper house of the Diet, so this is not an easy time for them. But the government is going to disclose in the next couple of days what it intends to do in the area of financial reform, according to the President Clinton.

"We are working hard on it," he said.

The caller responded, "that's right, everybody should know that we've been working so hard."

Right after arriving at the studio, President Clinton said to the anchor man that he was a bit "nervous," because this was also the first time for him to be in a foreign radio program to communicate with the local people on air, though he was used to such programs inside the United States as an experienced politician.

In response to a question on China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Clinton said it is important for China to be a member of WTO because China is a major economic power that will grow only larger over time.

"We in the United States want to support China's economic growth. After all, we are by far the largest purchaser of Chinese exports," the president said.

"What we're trying to do in America is... China should be in the World Trade Organization, but it has to be a commercially realistic set of understanding when you have memberships," he said.

"I think we'll reach an agreement before long," the president said. With regard to more educational and cultural exchanges, the president expressed the hope that more Chinese students can go to the United States and more American youths come to study in China.

There is a broad field for Shanghai and the U.S. to strengthen cooperation and exchange, Clinton noted.

Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi agreed to the view.

During the 50-minute radio program, six citizens talked with Clinton and the Shanghai mayor, covering areas of the economy, trade, education, environmental protection and sports in a frank and friendly atmosphere.

After the call-in show, Clinton said that he was satisfied with the activity, adding that the citizens in Shanghai raised very good questions.