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China's Hu urges Obama to resist protectionism
Beijing (AFP) Jan 31, 2009 China's president urged better ties with the United States in his first phone conversation with President Barack Obama, and called for both sides to resist trade protectionism, Beijing said Saturday. Friday's conversation, 11 days into Obama's presidency, followed sharp exchanges between the two sides over China's currency policy, amid criticisms that China manipulates its yuan to boost its exports overseas. An account of the conversation issued by the Chinese foreign ministry quoted President Hu Jintao telling Obama that China would work toward a "more constructive China-US relationship." Hu told Obama China welcomed US efforts to shore up the American economy, but warned against moves toward protectionism, the statement said. "We hope to strengthen communication and coordination on macroeconomic policy and firmly resist trade protectionism," Hu was quoted saying. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs framed the conversation as positive, with the two sides pledging closer cooperation on the crisis and other matters. But he also said Obama "stressed the need to correct global trade imbalances as well as to stimulate global growth and get credit markets flowing." Earlier in the week, the first exchanges between the new administration and Beijing were dominated by a spat over comments by incoming Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that China was manipulating its currency. Obama had made similar comments in his presidential campaign. China denies charges that it manipulates its currency to boost the competitiveness of its exports in global markets. There was no mention in the Chinese statement of whether Obama had also raised perennial US concerns with China on human rights, Tibet, religious freedom and Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province. The Chinese statement said Hu invited Obama to visit China "as soon as is convenient for both sides" and that Obama replied by saying he expected to visit China "at an early date." "The two also exchanged opinions on matters such as the North Korea nuclear issue, Iran and climate change," it said. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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