CHINA: U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Premier Wen Jiabao and watches charming performances at state banquet
Record ID:
566369
CHINA: U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Premier Wen Jiabao and watches charming performances at state banquet
- Title: CHINA: U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Premier Wen Jiabao and watches charming performances at state banquet
- Date: 19th November 2009
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 18, 2009) (REUTERS) (CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ARRIVING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH CHINESE PREMIER WEN JIABAO U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON ARRIVING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH WEN U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY GARY LOCKE ARRIVING CLINTON LOOKING ON U.S. AND CHINESE DELEGATES SEATED FOR TALKS OBAMA LISTENING OBAMA AND U.S. DELEGATES SEATED AT TABLE, OBAMA NODDING HIS HEAD TALKS IN PROGRESS SECURITY AND CARS OUTSIDE DIAOYUTAI STATE GUEST HOUSE
- Embargoed: 4th December 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: International Relations,Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVAAUH9UL64UY9WHRORGG555S0OE
- Story Text: U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on the final day of a trip wherein the two countries pledged to increase cooperation, while state media shows Obama enjoying a special night of Chinese performances at a state banquet.
U.S. President Barack Obama continued courting China in talks with Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday (November 18), opening an opportunity to press him on the economic and currency strains that have shadowed his goodwill visit.
The two leaders met in Beijing's Great Hall of the People before sitting down for talks.
Their opening remarks in front reporters stuck to upbeat phrases, with Wen saying mutual trust will help the two countries move forward while misgivings will take them back.
Obama made plain in a summit with President Hu Jintao on Tuesday (November 17) that he wants movement on China's currency policy.
Many in Washington believe Beijing keeps the yuan too low in value, putting competitors at a disadvantage and distorting global economic flows.
Hu avoided mentioning the yuan or the dollar in his comments before reporters, but Wen, who is more involved in economic affairs, might have been more willing to grapple with trade gripes.
Officials and experts from both sides have stressed, however, that Obama's first visit to the country will not bring about immediate policy shifts.
The issue of currencies has drawn testy comments from U.S. and Chinese officials.
Outside pressure has been building on Beijing to let the yuan rise after more than a year of it being nearly frozen in place against the dollar.
But the government appears likely to keep the currency on a tight rein at least until the middle of 2010 to cement the country's economic recovery.
Wen, the head of government, has previously also taken Washington to task over its fiscal policies, saying he worried about the health of China's vast U.S. assets.
China has amassed $2.27 trillion of foreign exchange reserves, the world's largest stockpile, and analysts think about two-thirds of this is invested in dollar-denominated assets.
However, differences were put aside at a dinner reception on Tuesday evening (November 17), where the American visitors were treated to a night of Chinese cuisine and culture.
State television CCTV showed Obama and Hu seated around a large banquet table, watching performances ranging from acrobatics and opera to traditional Uighur, Tibetan and Mongolian songs and dances.
The audience also got a dose of American pop, with renditions of "That's What Friends Are For," "We Are the World," and "I Just Called to Say I Love You" sung by a choir comprised of Chinese and American students.
Obama and Hu have said that strains over trade and U.S. criticism of China's human rights restrictions should not overshadow cooperation.
Obama's talks with Wen may also have covered Iran and North Korea, both nuclear trouble-spots where Washington and Beijing say they want to work together, but often disagree on how much pressure to apply.
North Korea's nuclear ambitions will also feature in Seoul, where Obama flies later on Wednesday after a trip to the Great Wall of China. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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