Barack Obama and Xi Jinping
Photo: salon.com/AP
US President Barack Obama met Chinese President Xi Jingping for the first time last month in Rancho Mirage, California.
The two day summit consisted of an informal meeting along with a working dinner, setting the foundations for the future relationship between the two states. It is understood the main issues of discussion included cyber-hacking, North Korea, climate change and intellectual property rights.
Amidst US allegations of Chinese government-related cyber abuses, President Obama stated the US would not tolerate cyber-hacking. “We had a very blunt conversation about cyber security”commented Obama on the Charlie Rose show, a television show which interviews prominent thinkers, writers and politicians. The main points of concern are believed to be the possible theft of new Apple software and unauthorised access to US weapons systems.
Taking a more diplomatic stance President Obama welcomed the “peaceful rise” of China, while stressing the importance of co-operation and balanced competition, along with the need for “economic order, where nations are playing by the same rules.”
Outside the informal discussions, human rights protesters along with representatives from Falan Gong, a spiritual discipline, literally “Dharma wheel practice” which originated in China around 20 years ago, and Vietnamese exiles, highlighted the oppression and marginalisation they faced from the Communist Party of China.
Human rights activists urged President Obama to call for the release of 16 high profile prisoners, including the Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo who was jailed for 11 years after circulating a charter calling for democratic reforms.
It is believed the informal meeting shows an improvement on the previous tense relations with former Chinese leaders. The international community awaits the results of the summit and future relations between the two superpowers.
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