At 11:10 on November 18, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama at the Beijing International Club Hotel, has accepted an exclusive interview with Southern Weekend.
Southern Weekly: Your visit to China will soon end, this is your first visit to China at this moment, your current visit to China feel?
Barack Obama: The China trip fruitful, we discussed many topics of common interest the two sides. This means that the sustainable development of our bilateral relations, not only for our two peoples and of great significance, for the whole world it is very important.
Southern Weekly: You mentioned in Shanghai, Yao Ming, I know you are very interested in basketball, you still have time to play with me? Could you give us a little of your work and life situation?
Obama: I do not like to play less frequently in the past, but I still play once a week or two the ball. And I love competition, I wish I could go to the Shanghai Sharks of the game, but really did not have time. I look forward to see Yao Ming, he is one of my favorite players.
Southern Weekend: This year marks the 30th anniversary of Sino-US diplomatic relations, you said at a press conference to welcome a strong, prosperous, and play a greater role in international affairs, China. Joint statement also said the Chinese side welcomed the United States to play an important role in the Asia-Pacific countries . How do you view China-US cooperation in the Asia Pacific region?
Obama: First, it is clear that China has become the world’s leading economic power, one of which is happening in the world over the past two decades the most important one of the things. China to fast-growing part of the reason for this is in good trade relations between the United States.
More importantly, we are now the relationship between the two sides had been beyond the economy and trade, we have important issues with each other to hear their views, such as climate change, there is no involvement of the two sides can not be resolved. Very quickly, you will see that is a broad strategic relationship between the two countries, in which we not only seek the cooperation of the major economic issues – of course, can bring about the prosperity of both peoples, we will also work closely on all issues, from climate change to nuclear non-proliferation, From the response to terrorism to world poverty, food security and so on.
We hope to see growth in China on the world stage, when China has more talent and confidence, we can assume more responsibility. We also want to be an effective partner in China.
Southern Weekly: The United States has so far not recognized China’s market economy status. In the end what are the difficulties?
Barack Obama: To keep in mind is that China in the WTO’s non-market economy status be applied only in some fields, in most areas of China were treated to a market economy, which is why the development of trade between China and the United States is so powerful. My understanding is that the Chinese government has taken the necessary measures, goal is to achieve market economy status by 2015. Of course, the United States has interest in this goal to cooperate with China.
Southern Weekly: What do you have on the timetable to solve this problem do?
Barack Obama: In fact, many economic aspects of it which contains the technical problems, so we do is in the Sino-US strategic economic dialogue to create a framework that we can solve the problem, which is a lot of things inside the technical level, the We hope that it can be solved.
Southern Weekly: Sino-US trade volume is large, but the U.S. high-tech exports to China have a lot of restrictions. The two businesses are not satisfied, which also constrains the balanced development of bilateral trade. Do you have any assessment?
Obama: First of all, we must realize that a very important point is that obviously the United States is the world’s most open markets in the world. This is why China and the United States to build up such a high trade surplus. High-tech product export of the problem is that we is being reconsidered, and I discussed this issue with President Hu, we believe that the U.S. exporters to export high-tech products to China have a chance. Some restrictions may have become obsolete, we will have some restrictions on re-integrated manner.
Pittsburgh g20 summit is one of the goals we need a more balanced pattern of growth to reach a consensus, with China and other countries need to expand domestic demand, the United States is more savings and more exports, I think this will help the world’s financial system stability, but also can help improve the living standards of the Chinese people for the United States to create more jobs. This is a more wide-ranging measures we have taken part, but also include a review of terms of trade, our exchange rate policy and so on. All These are to a broader objective, namely, growth in balance.
Southern Weekly: In the Tokyo and Shanghai, you have two explicit reference to the United States does not seek to contain China’s rise, then how it will implement such a policy?
Obama: We are in the current ongoing dialogue and discussion with China has repeatedly said that China’s stability and prosperity in the U.S. national interest. Prosperous China can help ensure a prosperous and stable Asia, just as the stability of Japan and South Korea conducive to world peace and U.S. business development.
Only possible to stop this positive outcome is that we have mutual misunderstandings and false inferences, which is why we not only have to carry out economic dialogue, security dialogue is so important. Sino-US mutual trust more to produce such a the smaller the possibility of misunderstanding.
