President Barack Obama's Trip To China

We hope President Obama's first trip to China will be as exciting as our first trip to that wonderful country. This is part of a 10-day four-nation Asia trip from Nov. 12 to 19 that includes Japan (12-13), Singapore (14), China (15-18) and South Korea (18-19). In addition to visiting his half-brother in Shenzhen, which we also visited, he will have to push it because he is only there for three days (November 15-18). Fortunately, President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao have already met several times (4) this year, so there is some familiarity there.

Of course climate change will be one of the big issues discussed in no small part becaue of the upcoming meeting in Copenhagen in December. China has rejected emission caps and challenges industrialized countries that caused global warming to clean up first. US Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, who is fluent in Mandarin, clearly has his hands full in helping President Obama to produce a binding international treaty with China. However, the current Asia Pacific Partnership provides a good model for a post Kyoto treaty that includes China.

The Center is prepared to work with the Obama administration and China to mitigate climate change. Our China Office Director, Zhang Xiaoping, pictured below, speaks fluent English and has been invaluable to us on our travels thoughout China.