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11.17.2009
President Barack Obama has held a question and answer session with Chinese students in Shanghai - China's commercial capital. Mr. Obama pushed the importance of freedom of information, while at the same time calling for greater cooperation between Washington and Beijing
The town hall meeting amounted to a delicate balancing act for Barack Obama.
He opened the session with university students by striking a professorial tone, talking about the history of relations between Washington and Beijing, and the importance of working together to tackle global challenges. Mr. Obama said, "We know that more is to be gained when great powers cooperate than when they collide."
Obama Underscores Freedom
The president talked about respect for cultures and traditions, saying one country should not impose its system of government on another. But at the same time, he made clear he will stand up for the basic freedoms Americans hold dear, saying, "These freedoms of expression and worship, of access to information and political participation, we believe are universal rights. They should be available to all people."
Mr. Obama was speaking in a country with the largest number of internet and cell phone users in the world. But the Chinese government has restricted access to certain social networking and news Web sites. When a student asked about the so-called "firewall," the president spoke out, saying, "I am a big believer in technology and I am a big believer in openness when it comes to the free flow of information."
The U.S. president said he is a strong supporter of unfettered Internet access, adding, "I think the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable, they can begin to think for themselves."
During the session with students, the president took several questions submitted on the Internet, and the entire program was carried live on the White House Web site. It was also broadcast locally in Shanghai, but not on Chinese national television.
While the president stressed the benefits of new media, he acknowledged there is a downside. Mr. Obama said, "It also means that terrorists are able to organize on the Internet in ways that they might not have been able to do before."
Obama Discusses Terrorism
Mr. Obama returned to the topic of terrorism when the final questioner asked about his pending decision on a revised strategy for the war in Afghanistan.
The president did not go into specific options under consideration, except to indicate that training Afghans to provide their own security is a priority. Instead, he talked about the greater threat facing the United States and the world.
The president said, "I do continue to believe that the greatest threat to United States security are the terrorist networks like al-Qaida. And the reason is because even though they are small in number what they have showed is that they have no conscience when it comes to the destruction of innocent civilians."
Mr. Obama remained for a few minutes at the end of the event, shaking hands and chatting with some of the students in the audience. After his opportunity to interact with the Chinese people - in person and on the internet - he headed to Beijing for talks with the nation's leaders.
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The town hall meeting amounted to a delicate balancing act for Barack Obama.
He opened the session with university students by striking a professorial tone, talking about the history of relations between Washington and Beijing, and the importance of working together to tackle global challenges. Mr. Obama said, "We know that more is to be gained when great powers cooperate than when they collide."
Obama Underscores Freedom
The president talked about respect for cultures and traditions, saying one country should not impose its system of government on another. But at the same time, he made clear he will stand up for the basic freedoms Americans hold dear, saying, "These freedoms of expression and worship, of access to information and political participation, we believe are universal rights. They should be available to all people."
Mr. Obama was speaking in a country with the largest number of internet and cell phone users in the world. But the Chinese government has restricted access to certain social networking and news Web sites. When a student asked about the so-called "firewall," the president spoke out, saying, "I am a big believer in technology and I am a big believer in openness when it comes to the free flow of information."
The U.S. president said he is a strong supporter of unfettered Internet access, adding, "I think the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable, they can begin to think for themselves."
During the session with students, the president took several questions submitted on the Internet, and the entire program was carried live on the White House Web site. It was also broadcast locally in Shanghai, but not on Chinese national television.
While the president stressed the benefits of new media, he acknowledged there is a downside. Mr. Obama said, "It also means that terrorists are able to organize on the Internet in ways that they might not have been able to do before."
Obama Discusses Terrorism
Mr. Obama returned to the topic of terrorism when the final questioner asked about his pending decision on a revised strategy for the war in Afghanistan.
The president did not go into specific options under consideration, except to indicate that training Afghans to provide their own security is a priority. Instead, he talked about the greater threat facing the United States and the world.
The president said, "I do continue to believe that the greatest threat to United States security are the terrorist networks like al-Qaida. And the reason is because even though they are small in number what they have showed is that they have no conscience when it comes to the destruction of innocent civilians."
Mr. Obama remained for a few minutes at the end of the event, shaking hands and chatting with some of the students in the audience. After his opportunity to interact with the Chinese people - in person and on the internet - he headed to Beijing for talks with the nation's leaders.
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11.15.2009
U.S. President Barack Obama is on his first official trip to China, where he is expected to discuss the economy and climate change.
Mr. Obama arrived late Sunday in Shanghai. He is to meet city leaders and university students there on Monday. He then will travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese leaders that will continue through Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Washington's relationship with Beijing Sunday as positive and cooperative.
She told U.S. television NBC's "Meet the Press" Washington wants to have a much more comprehensive engagement. She said there have been positive results already in Beijing's approval of international sanctions against North Korea and its support for engaging Iran on its nuclear program.
China has bought more than $1 trillion in U.S. debt. Clinton said Sunday that President Obama understands the U.S. has to resume control of its fiscal sovereignty over time.
The White House says the president will talk to students about the U.S.-China relationship at a town hall meeting in Shanghai Monday. He will take questions from the audience and from people who submitted questions on various Web sites, including Xinhuanet, Sohu and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
The U.S. president says Washington seeks to deepen its cooperation with Beijing, not contain the Asian power.
In a major speech on Asian affairs in Tokyo Saturday, Mr. Obama said the United States welcomes China's efforts to play a great role in the world.
But he said the U.S. will never waver in speaking up for values it cherishes and said a discussion about human rights can take place in a spirit of partnership.
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Mr. Obama arrived late Sunday in Shanghai. He is to meet city leaders and university students there on Monday. He then will travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese leaders that will continue through Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Washington's relationship with Beijing Sunday as positive and cooperative.
She told U.S. television NBC's "Meet the Press" Washington wants to have a much more comprehensive engagement. She said there have been positive results already in Beijing's approval of international sanctions against North Korea and its support for engaging Iran on its nuclear program.
China has bought more than $1 trillion in U.S. debt. Clinton said Sunday that President Obama understands the U.S. has to resume control of its fiscal sovereignty over time.
The White House says the president will talk to students about the U.S.-China relationship at a town hall meeting in Shanghai Monday. He will take questions from the audience and from people who submitted questions on various Web sites, including Xinhuanet, Sohu and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
The U.S. president says Washington seeks to deepen its cooperation with Beijing, not contain the Asian power.
In a major speech on Asian affairs in Tokyo Saturday, Mr. Obama said the United States welcomes China's efforts to play a great role in the world.
But he said the U.S. will never waver in speaking up for values it cherishes and said a discussion about human rights can take place in a spirit of partnership.
10.06.2009
Chinese culture centers around food, and imperial cuisine elevates Chinese food to a rarified art form. In the past, only the emperor and his family could eat imperial food. But now in communist China, anyone can eat imperial food - that is, anyone who has enough money.
It took Meiweizhen Restaurant's chef Bai Wei two days to put together an “iceberg”, a concoction of made of butter, sugar, flour and dried strawberries topped with whipped egg whites. "This dish was made every day for the Empress Dowager, but it wasn't made to eat, just to look at," he said.
China's last dynasty fell nearly a century ago. The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949 with a strongly anti-imperialist vision.
The walls of Meiweizhen Restaurant are lined with pictures of patrons from China’s new elite, people like Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and basketball star Yao Ming.
Meiweizhen's location also suggests its clients have ambitions of commercial success. It is at the China World Trade Center, with one entrance on the street level and one entrance in the shopping mall.
Chef Bai comes from a family of imperial chefs. His grandfather prepared food for Puyi, the last emperor of China. The food he prepares now is a meticulous recreation of imperial recipes he researched in the archives of the Forbidden City, where the emperor lived.
"This “iceberg”, when I've finished making it, it's very satisfying. Not only is it delicious, it's also like a piece of art," he says, "I can't bring myself to eat it, though.
He acknowledges imperial food is much more expensive than the cost of the mostly common ingredients, like leeks or potatoes. But he says this food and its complex preparation, are cultural traditions of China, and should be priceless.
He acknowledges imperial food is much more expensive than the cost of the mostly common ingredients, like leeks or potatoes. But he says this food and its complex preparation, are cultural traditions of China, and should be priceless.
10.10.2008
New York Times
The Communist Party leaders may undertake the biggest economic reform in years and change the collective ownership system and state control of land
The Communist Party leaders may undertake the biggest economic reform in years and change the collective ownership system and state control of land
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