报刊阅读6-社论

LatestNewsWenhopesforfurtherSino-UScooperationChinesePremierWenJiabaometvisitingUSPresidentBarackObamaattheDiaoyutaiStateGuestHouseinBeijing,November18,2009.WenandObamaexchangedviewsonSino-USrelationsandabroadrangeofissuesofcommonconcern,ChinaNewsAgencyreported.ChinadisagreestothesuggestionofaGroupof2(G2),ChinesePremierWenJiabaosaid.Chinaisstilladevelopingcountrywithahugepopulationandhasalongwaytogobeforeitbecomesmodernized,Wensaid.Wemustalwayskeepsober-mindedoverit,hesaid.TheyhadaworkinglunchbeforeObama'ssightseeingvisittotheGreatWallinthenorthsuburboftheChinesecapital,whichisanotherchancefortheUSheadofstate,whotouredtheImperialPalaceTuesday,tolearnmoreabouttheancientChinesecivilization.ObamawillconcludehisfistvisittoChinaandflytotheRepublicofKorea,thelastlegofhisfour-stateAsiantour,intheafternoon.WenhopesObama'svisittoliftChina-UScooperationtonewlevelChinesePremierWenJiabaosaidhereonWednesdaythatthefruitfulvisitofUnitedStatesPresidentBarackObamatoChinawasoffar-reachingsignificance.ItismysincerehopethatyourcurrentvisitwillliftthecomprehensiveandcooperativeChina-U.S.relationstoanewlevel,WentoldObamaattheirmeetingintheStateGuesthouseinBeijing.Obama:Chinavisit'wonderful'VisitingUSPresidentBarackObamasaidWednesdaythathisfour-daystatevisittoChinawaswonderful.ObamamadetheremarkwhilevisitingtheGreatWall,thefamousrelicsinthenorthsuburbofBeijing,onWednesdayafternoon.InreplytoaquestionbyXinhuaaboutwhetherhewassatisfiedwithhisChinavisit,Obamasaid:Yes,it'sawonderfulvisit.EndingChinaTrip,ObamaVisitsWallBEJING—OnhislastdayinChina,PresidentObamawenttoseetheGreatWall.ObamaSaysHeIsClosetoAfghanWarDecision(November19,2009)Ataround3:32p.m.onWednesday,Mr.Obama’smotorcadearrivedatthewall’sBadalingsection,whichsnakesoverjagged,rockymountains.Theusualcacophonyofvendorsatthewallwasabsentasthewholeplacewaslargelyshutteredforthepresidentialvisit.Thebustlingtouristattractionlookedlikeaghosttown.Hewalkedthroughthethirdwatchtower,havingtradedthebrowndistressedleatherjacketheworeonhistouroftheForbiddenCitythedaybeforeforablackjacketandblackpants.Mr.ObamawasaccompaniedonthesteepclimbbytheAmericanambassador,JonM.HuntsmanJr.,aswellasZhouWenzhong,China’sambassadortotheUnitedStates.Mr.Obamadidnot—atleast,hewasnotheardbyreporterswhoaccompaniedhim—say“hey,thisisareallygreatwall,”assomeotherAmericandignitariesbeforehimarereputedtohavesaid.Mr.Obamacalledthesite“spectacular,”thensaid,“It’sareminderoftheancienthistoryoftheChinesepeople.”Hethenpausedandaddedreflectively,“Itgivesyouagoodperspectiveonalotoftheday-to-daythings.Theydon’tamounttomuchinthescopeofhistory.”Headded,“IalsothinkI’mgladIdidn’tcarryacamera.”Mr.Obama,accordingtoobserversinthepresspoolthataccompaniedhim,posedforsnapshotsandgenuinelyappearedtobehavingagreattime.AChinesejournalistaskedwhetherhehadboughtorbroughtsomethingfromtheGreatWall,aquestionMr.Obamagamelyattemptedtoanswer.“IbringagreatadmirationforChinesecivilizationandIbringgreetingsfromtheAmericanpeople.”CNNreported,meanwhile,thatthepresidentmetbrieflyMondayinBeijingwithhishalf-brother,MarkOkothObamaNdesandjo,wholivesinsouthernChina.ChinaHoldsFirmonMajorIssuesinObama’sVisitBEIJING—Insixhoursofmeetings,attwodinnersandduringastilted30-minutenewsconferenceinwhichPresidentHuJintaodidnotallowquestions,PresidentObamawasconfronted,onhisfirstvisit,withafast-risingChinamorewillingtosaynototheUnitedStates.OntopicslikeIran(Mr.Hudidnotpubliclydiscussthepossibilityofsanctions),China’scurrency(hemadenonodtowardchangingitsvalue)andhumanrights(ajointstatementbluntlyacknowledgedthatthetwocountries“havedifferences”),ChinaheldfirmagainstmostAmericandemands.WithChina’smicro-managementofMr.Obama’sappearancesinthecountry,thetripdidmoretoshowcaseChina’sabilitytopushbackagainstoutsidepressurethanitdidtoadvancethemainissuesonMr.Obama’sagenda,analystssaid.“Chinaeffectivelystage-managedPresidentObama’spublicappearances,gothimtomakestatementsendorsingChinesepositionsofpoliticalimportancetothemandeffectivelysquelcheddiscussionsofcontentiousissuessuchashumanrightsandChina’scurrencypolicy,”saidEswarS.Prasad,aChinaspecialistatCornellUniversity.“Inamasterstroke,theyshiftedthepublicdiscussionfromtheglobalrisksposedbyChinesecurrencypolicytothedangersofloosemonetarypolicyandprotectionisttendenciesintheU.S.”WhiteHouseofficialsmaintainedtheygotwhattheycamefor—thebeginningofaneededgive-and-takewithasurgingeconomicgiant.WithacivilizationasancientasChina’s,theyargued,itwouldbecounterproductive—andreminiscentofPresidentGeorgeW.Bush’sstyle—forMr.ObamatoconfrontBeijingwithloudchest-beatingthatmightalienatetheChinese.Mr.Obama,theofficialsinsisted,hadmadehispointsduringprivatemeetingsandone-on-onesessions.“Idonotexpect,andIcanspeakauthoritativelyforthepresidentonthis,thatwethoughtthewaterswouldpartandeverythingwouldchangeoverthecourseofouralmosttwo-and-a-half-daytriptoChina,”saidRobertGibbs,theWhiteHousespokesman.“Weunderstandthere’salotofworktodoandthatwe’llcontinuetoworkhardatmakingmoreprogress.”SeveralChinaexpertsnotedthatMr.Obamawasnot