Clinton: Don't Do as We Do

GUILIN, China: Using his signature issue-of-the-day approach, President Clinton on Wednesday visited Guilin, a region that has pioneered environment-friendly development by replanting forests, cleaning up its rivers and weaning itself off of coal-burning energy. The green paradise, located amid the urban pollution of China's economic boom, provided the perfect backdrop for Clinton to do an environmental take on the salute-the-progress-but-warn-of-the-challenges routine that has become a hallmark of his China trip. "I believe that China has a unique opportunity -- because you're developing rapidly, but later in time than other countries -- to avoid some of the terrible mistakes we made," said the President.

It remains to be seen, however, whether China takes don't-do-as-we-do advice from the world's largest producer of greenhouse gases and a nation that hasn't exactly rushed to embrace the Kyoto treaty designed to curb them.