CHINA.ORG.CN: Good afternoon to all those listening to this talk. We are China Talks. Today we are very happy to invite the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Department, Mr. Leavitt，to join our program. First let's allow Mr. Leavitt to say 'Hi' to our netitizens.

LEAVITT: Hi, to all of the netizens, hello. And Bing, thank you for having me on your program.

CHINA.ORG.CN: First we'd like to ask you, Mr. Leavitt, about your trip this time to China.

LEAVITT: My trip has been very productive; it was my first time in Shanghai. I've been in China many times but this time was my first time in Shanghai. My trip has concentrated on the safety of products coming from China to the US. And also the work we can work together on traditional Chinese medicine.

CHINA.ORG.CN: China has very recently experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake; it shook Sichuan Province on the 12th of May and thousands of people were killed. And right now the Chinese government is trying its best to save people's lives. During disasters health care is very important. In the US how does your government respond to disasters? And what measures do you take?

LEAVITT: I am very saddened by what has happened with the earthquake. I have expressed on behalf of my government our desire to be helpful in any way we can. We know that China has great capacity to respond to disasters and so we have confidence that everything that can be done is being done. In our experience and according to our plans when a disaster of this nature starts the first three or four days are critical in finding those who have survived. But we must then begin to focus on assuring that those who have survived have the basics to continue to maintain their lives, such as food and water and shelter and health care.

It is then important to turn attention toward recovery. Now, this is a devastating blow for China but China is strong and China will respond in a way that will allow them to move forward. But we do mourn the loss of so many Chinese citizens and wish the government well and pledge our help.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Now you just mentioned that people in the disaster area need food and water. Do you think they also need psychological help as well?

LEAVITT: We have learned in disaster situations that during the middle of the disaster people rally and they put forward even extra energy but after the disaster when they realize the loss that they have sustained that is the moment when they need to have help with their emotions and with their mental health. Typically, we have found that the period of 6 to 9 months after disasters is the critical part of the mental health recovery. So this is a problem that China will have to deal with for several months and probably many years. This is not something that will recover quickly.

CHINA.ORG.CN: As you know, this month an infectious disease called HFMD also struck parts of China and regarding this can you elaborate on how the USA has been willing to give support to the Chinese people: what assistance will the US give China to combat HMFD?

LEAVITT: We have great respect for China and its scientific ability. I have personally seen the disease tracking system that China put forward throughout their entire country after SARS. We do have scientists at our Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. They are specialists in this particular disease, and we have offered to have our scientists collaborate with Chinese scientists and I've also suggested that this would be a project that we would be very willing to collaborate on in determining how to stop it.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Could you explain how the USA deals with and prevents these kinds of epidemics?

LEAVITT: Like China, we have a disease tracking system. If a disease begins to manifest itself in a specific area then we do everything we can to contain it to that area. We also try to limit infectious disease from starting by practicing good public health measures, such as having immunizations at the appropriate ages and times.

We also believe that it's important to prevent disease from spreading so there are basic practices that people can use to limit their exposure; they can wash their hands often, they can handle food properly. If they are not feeling well they can limit their exposure to others; we call that social distancing. We try to teach all of those ideas to our people.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Well, you know, you have been Secretary for Health and Human Services for over three years now and you are responsible for the health of all US citizens. Additionally, you are responsible for your own health. We think that the pressure on your shoulders must be as huge as your responsibilities, so you must understand very well how to maintain your own personal health. Can you share with us your secrets of staying fit? Our audience would like to hear your comments on this.

LEAVITT: I do work hard keeping myself healthy and fit. There are several things that I do; I'm by no means a perfect specimen of health, but I do work hard at it. I attempt to exercise every day, generally 50 minutes to an hour. Generally I will do some aerobic exercise 4 or 5 times a week and I do some resistance or weight training 2 or 3 times a week. I'm active by running or walking; anything that gets my heart rate up. Actually I enjoy doing resistance training or using weights. I also try to be conscious of what I eat because I know if I eat too much it isn't good for my health. I also avoid the use of alcohol and I don't drink coffee or use tobacco. And I stay away from drugs and any other kind of dangerous behavior.

CHINA.ORG.CN: We know you have grandsons and granddaughters. Do you often exercise with them?

LEAVITT: I have at present four grandchildren and very soon I'll have five. They are very young, they don't exercise with me but I do get exercise following them around.

CHINA.ORG.CN: We know that you and your Chinese counterpart, our Health Minister Chen Zhu, are good friends and he is a young official who was born in the 1960s; could you please appraise this young and promising minister?

LEAVITT: The Chinese government has many very impressive, well educated government officials and it's clear to me that your government is reaching out to find those who are the most competent in their field. The minister is one very good example of that, and we do have a very good friendship and a working relationship that I value.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Our netizens know that you used to be the head of the US Environmental Protection Agency and they would like to know if there are any correlations between your past and present job?

LEAVITT: Both the EPA and the Department of Health are public health oriented. Some of the most important public health breakthroughs in the US have been the cleaning of the air and the improvement of our water. Many diseases are water borne diseases and having clean water can keep the population safe and healthy and can save many lives. The more we learn about health coming from respiratory health the more we understand that clean air is necessary for a person to be healthy and live a long time. So I feel that both jobs have been very much alike.

CHINA.ORG.CN: You just mentioned clean air and clean water in regard to public health. Nowadays the Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee is working on this. Can you comment on how we in China have been protecting the public health in regard to the Olympic Games?

LEAVITT: In 2002 when the Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City I was governor of the state. It gave me a very good opportunity to understand the Olympic movement and what an important part a government plays. Anytime millions of people come together for an event there's a public health risk. Making certain that people have clean water and safe food and good health care are important basic things that an Olympic Organizing Committee must accomplish. May I just add that China is going to do a great job with the Olympics? It will be a time of international celebration for China's emergence. I also learned that when I was the governor of Utah hosting the Olympics that everything was magnified by the Olympic Games. Every influence or desire, any group or organization that wants to make their will known will use the Olympics to amplify their voice. When the closing ceremonies of the OG conclude China will look back on this experience as one of the greatest moments in their history. And we will all celebrate with you.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Finally, do you have any comments regarding the future development of US-China relationships? What would you like to say regarding cooperative efforts in public health between our two countries?

LEAVITT: China and the US are both part of a global economy. Our nations are closely related and in many ways interdependent. A strong China is good for the US and a strong US is good for China. I have personally experienced in the last three years close working relationships with China and they are improving all the time as we learn to work together better. In some ways we have different systems but in the important ways we are the same: we are all people. We all care very much about our families, and about our health and about our community and about our ability to prosper. By concentrating on the things that unite us, the things that divide us will become small. Like netizens we are all part of the same world.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Thank you, thank you for being so kind as to attend our program, China Talks. Could you please say some parting words directly to our netizens?

LEAVITT: We live in a world that has unlimited opportunities. Knowledge is unlimited and so is our capacity to reach it. What makes us all stronger are strong relationships that can be achieved through communication. So my advice and admonition and hope is that we'll all use the Internet community to become better connected and to understand each other better and to provide a more peaceful, prosperous world.

CHINA.ORG.CN: Thank you Mr. Leavitt. Thanks for joining our program.

LEAVITT: Thank you, Bing.

(China.org.cn May 17, 2008)