Interview of President Obama by Xiang Xi of Southern Weekly ( Full Text Script)

Modified version here

St. Regis Hotel, Beijing, China

Q Your first trip to China is ending. So can you use just one sentence to tell us your favorite about the trip?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: It has been a very productive trip. We have worked on a range of issues of mutual concern to the United States and China, and I think it signifies the continued growth of the relationship that is so important not only to our two peoples but also to the world.

Q I know you love basketball. So do you think you have time to play basketball while you're being President?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: You know, I do play, not as often as I used to, but I still play maybe once every week or two. And I enjoy going to games, as well. I wish I could have gone to see the Shanghai Sharks, but it wasn't in my schedule. And I'm looking forward to meeting Yao Ming, who is one of my favorite players.

Q 2009 is 30 years anniversary of China and U.S. diplomacy. On the press reception you said you welcome China to be a strong, prosperous country, playing a more important role on international affairs. And in the two countries' joint declaration, China also welcomed America to play an important role as a Asia Pacific country. So how do you see the China-America cooperation in Asia Pacific area?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think it's obvious that China's emergence as a major economic power in the world has been one of the most important things to happen over the last two decades. And part of the reason that China has been able to grow so rapidly is because of strong trade ties between the United States and China.

More importantly, we're seeing our relationship move beyond just issues of trade and economics. We're now consulting with each other on critical issues like climate change that can't be solved unless the United States and China participate.

And so increasingly I think what you'll see is a broad strategic relationship between the two countries in which not only are we seeking to cooperate on key economic issues that can increase prosperity for both peoples, but that we're also working closely together on everything from climate change to nonproliferation,, to dealing with issues of terrorism, to making sure that we're addressing critical issues like global poverty and food security.

And I welcome China's role in the world -- on the world stage. As it has more resources and more confidence, it's able to take on more and more responsibilities. And we look forward to being an effective partner with China.

Q My fourth question is, America has not recognized China's market economic status. So what effort you give to this question?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, keep in mind that China's non-market status under the WTO only applies to a few segments of the economy. Most of China's economic sectors are treated as part of the market economy. That's why trade with the United States is so robust. And my understanding is, is that the Chinese government is taking steps necessary in order for it to achieve a market status by 2015, and certainly we are interested in working with China for such a result.

Q Do you have to schedule, to work on to recognize China's market economy status?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, this is an issue that involves a lot of technical economic questions. And so what we have done through our strategic and economic dialogue is to create a framework where we can work through many of these detailed issues at a technical level -- hopefully they can be resolved.

Q We notice China and America has a large content of trade, but America has many restrictions against China on high-technology exportation. Both China and America's companies are not very satisfied on this. So it also restricts the two countries' trade balance. How do you comment on this?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think it's just important to recognize obviously that the United States has the most open markets in the world. That's why China is able to accumulate such significant trade surpluses with the United States. The issue of high-tech exports, though, is something that we are reviewing. I discussed this with President Hu. We do think there are opportunities for U.S. exporters to export high-tech technology or to export high technology to China. And some of these restrictions may be outdated, so we're going to be doing a comprehensive review.

One of the main goals I think in the G20 summit in Pittsburgh was to agree that we need a more balanced growth pattern in which China is increasing domestic demand, and other surplus countries are increasing domestic demand, and the United States is saving more and exporting more. That I think will help to stabilize the world financial system as well as help create higher standards of living here in China and more jobs in the United States. And so this could be part of a broader approach that we need to take, and that includes looking at trade provisions, it includes what our currency policies are. All these things go into this broader goal of more balanced growth.

Q You talked twice, in Tokyo and Shanghai, that America not trying to contain China's rise. So how do you plan to carry out this policy? How do you do it?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I think through the kinds of ongoing discussions and dialogue that we're currently having with China. It is in the United States' interests to have a stable and prosperous China that helps to anchor a stable and prosperous Asia in the same way that Japan's stability, South Korea's stability creates a more peaceful world and greater commercial ties with the United States. The same is true in respect to our policy towards China.

I think that the only thing that could prevent such a positive outcome is if there are misunderstandings and miscalculations between the two sides. And that's why it's so important for us to have these continuous dialogues both on the economic set of issues, but also on security issues. And the more trust that's been established between the two countries, the less likely such misunderstandings could occur.

Q Thank you very much.

END



问：您对中国的第一次访问已经结束。您能用一句话告诉我们您此行最大的感受吗？

奥巴马总统：这是一个非常卓有成效的旅程。我们就美国和中国共同关心的一系列问题展开讨论，我认为它标志着双方关系的持续改善，这个问题不仅对我们两国人民非常重要，对于世界也同样重要。

问：我知道你爱打篮球。你认为在担任总统之后还有时间打篮球吗？

奥巴马总统：你知道，我仍然打篮球，但不如过去那样经常打，但我仍然可能大概每周玩一次或两次。我也喜欢去看球赛。我本来希望可以去看上海大鲨鱼篮球队，但它不在我的日程安排中。我也期待着同姚明见面，他是我最喜欢的球员之一。

问：2009年是30年的中国和美国的外交周年。在记者招待会你说欢迎中国成为一个强大，繁荣的国家，发挥在国际事务中越来越重要的作用。而在两国联合声明，中国也欢迎美国发挥作为一个亚太地区国家的重要作用。那么你如何看中国，美国在亚太地区的合作？

奥巴马总统：嗯，首先，我认为很明显中国作为一个主要的世界经济强国的崛起一直是过去的20年最重要的国际事件之一。中国得以如此迅速地增长的部分原因是与美国和中国的密切贸易关系。

更重要的是，我们的双边关系超越了贸易和经济问题，我们现在就一系列的重大事件进行磋商，诸如气候变化这样的重要问题不能缺少美国与中国的参与。

因此，我想你会越来越多地看到两国之间广泛的战略合作关系，我们寻求的不仅是主要在经济问题上合作以增加两国人民的繁荣福祉，我们还在从气候变化到防核扩散这样的问题上一起密切合作，以打击恐怖主义，以确保我们解决诸如全球贫困和粮食安全这样的关键问题。

我欢迎中国在世界上发挥作用 - 在世界舞台上。由于有更多的资源和更多的信心，中国能够承担更多的责任。我们期待着与中国成为一个有效的合作伙伴。

问：我的第四个问题是，美国不承认中国的市场经济地位。那么，你如何在这个问题开展工作？

总统奥巴马：好的，记住，世贸组织框架下中国的非市场地位只存在于一部分经济部类。中国的多数经济部类都被视为市场经济的一部分。这就是为什么中国与美国的贸易是如此强劲。我的理解是，中国政府正在采取必要步骤，以在2015年前实现市场经济地位，当然我们对与中国一起致力于这样的结果努力感兴趣。

问：你是否有计划以承认中国的市场经济地位？

奥巴马总统：嗯，这是一个问题，涉及的技术经济问题很多。因此，我们已经通过我们的战略经济对话所做的是建立一个框架，我们可以通过这些细节问题，许多工作在技术层面 - 希望他们能得到解决。

问：我们看到中国和美国的贸易有很大的空间，但美国对中国在高科技产品的出口上设置许多限制。中国与美国的公司都不是很满意这点。它也制约了两国贸易平衡。你对此有何评论？

奥巴马总统：嗯，首先，我认为这就是必须认识到，显然，美国有世界上最开放的市场。这就是为什么中国能够在对美贸易中积累如此大量的盈余。不过我们正在检视高技术产品出口的问题。我与胡锦涛主席讨论过，我们认为有机会让美国出口商出口或计划出口高科技到中国。有些贸易限制可能是过时的，因此我们将做全面评估。

我认为20国集团首脑会议在美国匹兹堡的主要目标之一是同意我们需要一个更平衡的增长模式，中国要扩大内需，其他顺差国家要扩大内需，美国需要更多的储蓄和出口。我认为这将有助于稳定世界金融体系，帮助中国提升生活水准同时在美国创造更多的就业机会。这可能是我们需要采取的更多手段的一部分，包括检视贸易条款，包含我们的货币政策。所有这些都致力于更均衡的发展这一更广泛的目标。

问：你在东京和上海两次提到，美国不试图遏制中国的崛起。那么你如何打算执行这项政策？你会怎么做呢？

奥巴马总统：嗯，我想通过不断进行的各种讨论和对话，一个稳定和繁荣的中国以保持亚洲的稳定与繁荣是符合美国利益的。同样，日本的稳定，韩国的稳定也会创造一个更加和平的世界，并有利于同美国更多的商业往来。我们对中国的政策同样是如此。

我认为，唯一可能阻止这种积极的结果是我们双方存在的相互误解和错误推断。这就是我们双方就经济问题与安全问题不断对话的重要性所在，而且我们双方越多地建立互信，那样的误解就越不可能会发生。

记者：非常谢谢你。