GERALD R. Ford, the 38th president in America's history, has died on December 26, 2006, at the age of 93. He was the longest-living former president.　　Ford was an accidental president. He was the only US president who was not elected to either the presidency or vice presidency. He was appointed vice president in 1973 after Nixon's vice president, Spiro Agnew, resigned to avoid prosecution on corruption charges.　　He took office moments after Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, in a disgrace over Watergate and went into exile.　　Ford's December 1975 visit to China reinforced the relationship which was initiated during Nixon's visit. During the five-day visit, Ford met Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping in Beijing; and promised to normalize China-US relations if he won the 1976 presidential election.　　"President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country," President George W. Bush said in a statement. "With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the presidency." Gerald R. Ford's state funeral will begin on December 29 in California.　　　　美国历史上第38位总统，杰拉尔德鲁道夫福特于2006年12月26日去世，享年93岁。福特是迄今为止美国历史上最长寿的总统。　　福特是一位“意外总统”。他是美国历史上唯一一个没有经过选举就成为副总统及总统的人。1973年，当尼克松的副总统斯波罗阿格纽因为了逃避因受贿罪受到起诉而辞职时，福特被直接任命为副总统。1974年8月9日，当理查德尼克松因“水门事件”丑闻黯然下台后，他又立刻接任了总统一职。　　福特1975年12月对中国的访问加强了尼克松总统访华时建立的中美关系。在为期5天的访问中，毛泽东和邓小平在北京接见了福特。福特承诺，若赢得1976年大选，他将促进中美关系正常化的进程。　　布什总统日前发表声明对福特表示哀悼。他说:“福特总统是一个伟大的美国人，多年来全心全意为我们国家服务。福特总统用他不张扬的正直品质、判断力和善良治愈了国家的创伤，帮助公众重新树立了对总统的信心。”美国于29日在弗吉尼亚为福特总统举行了国葬。