Obama greets Xi with friendly words, firm stance - Ottawa Citizen

U.S. President Barack Obama told Chinese leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping on Tuesday that Beijing must play fair in international trade and vowed to keep pressing China to clean up its human rights record.

In White House talks, Obama sought to reassure Xi that Washington welcomed China's "peaceful rise" but also signalled that frictions will remain in a growing economic and military rivalry between the two countries, despite Beijing's political transition.

Xi's meeting with Obama was the centrepiece of a heavily scripted visit that could help the Chinese vice-president boost his international standing and show he is capable of steering his country's crucial relationship with Washington for the next decade.

Obama's firm message, echoed by Xi's official host, Vice-President Joe Biden, on trade, human rights and global issues such as Syria, was notable, given that the meetings were previewed as essentially sizing-up sessions.

Obama has taken a tougher line with China in recent months, and is under election-year pressure from Republican candidates, who say his policy has been too conciliatory.

"With expanding power and prosperity also comes increased responsibilities," Obama said as he sat side by side with Xi in the Oval Office.

"We want to work with China to make sure that everybody is working by the same rules of the road when it comes to the world economic system, and that includes ensuring that there is a balanced trade flow," he said.

Washington has long urged Beijing to do more to help reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China, which soared to a record $295.5 billion in 2011, underscoring concerns in Congress about Chinese currency and trade practices that put U.S. firms at a disadvantage.

But U.S. leverage over Beijing is limited, not least because China is the United States's largest foreign creditor.

Xi, 58, in line to assume the presidency in March 2013, said he looked forward to building a "co-operative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interests" but did not address Obama's veiled criticism of Beijing's policies.

Each leader smiled and nodded as the other spoke and they shook hands during an appearance before reporters.

At a State Department lunch, Xi later said the two sides should strive for a greater balance in trade and investment but must resolve disputes through dialogue, "not protectionism."

Seeking to assuage Chinese sensitivity to protocol, Xi was treated to a prestigious Oval Office encounter and was also received with military honours, including a 19gun salute, at the Pentagon. Xi's titles include vice chairman of Beijing's Central Military Commission. But since he is not yet head of state, he was not given the full redcarpet treatment.

Xi's visit comes at a time when ties between Beijing and Washington - the world's two biggest economies - have been buffeted by strains over economic disputes, human rights and each country's military intentions in the Asia-Pacific region. Chinese leaders traditionally bristle at U.S. criticism as meddling in their internal affairs.