Editor's Note: Li Qingsi is the executive director at the Center for American Studies at Renmin University of China. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The 41st American President George Herbert Walker Bush (also known as Bush Senior) passed away on December 1, 2018, at the age of 94, which aroused world attention. What he had contributed to the US and the world as a president can be settled. However, conclusions can be different if made from different stances, not only from people in other countries, but also from the Americans themselves. 

Bush Senior won the presidency after acting as Reagan administration's vice president in November 1988, with an incumbent advantage that helped him in the election. 

As a one-term president in American political and economic development, it is hard to leave an impressive legacy. The same was true for Bush Senior, who had not changed much about the American economic and social situation, but merely continued the Republican policy of smaller government, less intervention in the market, perhaps a kind of Reagan policy without Reagan. It was why he was defeated by Bill Clinton, who embraced the slogan “Stupid, it's economy!” in the second term election. 

Perhaps President Trump's condolences could best represent America's view on Bush Senior: Through his essential authenticity, disarming wit and unwavering commitment to faith, family and country, President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service — to be, in his words, “'a thousand points of light' illuminating greatness, hope and opportunity to the world”; “with sound judgment, common sense and unflappable leadership, President Bush guided our nation and the world to a peaceful and victorious conclusion of the Cold War,” certainly very high praise. 

Even though his legacy in domestic policy was minuscule, President Bush achieved a lot in the arena of foreign policy: It was during his administration that the West won the Cold War by defeating their rival Soviet Union; that the US led the UN-coalition army to drive out Saddam Hussein from Kuwait; that the US government maintained the so-called most favorable trade status to China. 

He defended the authority of the UN in regards to Middle East issues and softened the ideological rift between the West and East, which laid the road for globalization. So President Bush was lucky on foreign affairs, but unlucky and unfortunate on domestic issues, resulting in only a one-term presidency. 

Being a U.S.-China relations mover, Bush Senior had worked in Beijing as the second envoy of the U.S. liaison office since 1974. During his stay in the city, he spent a lot of time visiting hutongs, the traditional Beijing alleyways, with his wife Barbara, which won him the title of “bicycle-riding envoy.” That also helped him to understand Chinese people closely, and better contribute to China-U.S. relations. 

As the controller of the world's sole superpower, the American president will affect the world very directly. Whether the American president could become a great president or not will depend on his contributions, not only to the American people, but also to world peace, stability and prosperity. The United States of America has contributed to the victory of anti-Fascism war during WWII, and Franklin Roosevelt was certainly a great one among those great presidents.

Compared to President Bush Junior, President Bush Senior would perhaps be remembered better and longer by more people. So whether President Trump will be remembered as a great president will be decided not by his desperate approach to “Make America Great Again,” but by his efforts to the U.S. to improve the life of average Americans, and by not hurting other people in the world! 

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