Obama, speaking to corporate executives at the Business Roundtable in Washington, said cybersecurity will be one of the topics he discusses with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who arrives for a state visit to the US next week.
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In less than three years, Xi has consolidated more power than any Chinese leader since Mao. Experts predicted the penalties wouldn’t come until after Xi’s visit, but the recent indications of their development could be used as leverage to get China to the table.
His itinerary for the Sept 22 to 24 stay in Seattle includes visiting Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington, and Boeing’s massive factory in Everett.
His only policy speech of his trip will be delivered at a dinner banquet.
“We have repeatedly said to the Chinese government that we understand traditional intelligence-gathering functions that all states, including us, engage in”.
Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, confirmed on Tuesday that Obama will host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit on Friday, September 25. “We don’t want to see the Internet weaponised in that way”.
CEOs from USA companies, along with an equal number from Chinese companies, across a broad range of industries including auto, aircraft, entertainment, tourism, chemicals, finance and technology, are expected to attend.
The United States, while maintaining close economic ties with China, is a frequent critic of its rights record.
“The United States continues to review China’s revised negative list and assess next steps in the negotiations”, the USTR spokeswoman told Reuters.
China became the world’s largest trading nation in 2013, overtaking the United States in what Beijing described as “a landmark milestone” for the country. “We can leverage our region’s unique strengths to create a strong positive impact on the future of U.S.-China relations”.
Last week, US officials said Washington was considering sanctions against Russian and Chinese individuals and companies for cyberattacks against USA commercial targets.
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Washington has long urged Beijing to let the yuan appreciate, arguing that China was using a cheap currency to make its goods cheaper in America. Some feel that there is no reason to antagonize the Chinese, especially since President Xi is due in town next week.
