Here is the real deal disembarking in Beijing. I'm impressed that he's managed to outwardly suppress any disorientation and bewilderment!
As would be expected, the sun is shining in clear blue skies, so we are enjoying Beijing at its best. The weather forecast even suggests temperatures might rise above freezing, which would be a treat!
In terms of the visit, Obama is visiting as part of his tour of Asia, and is attending a summit with Hu Jintao to discuss trade, climate change and economic issues, among other issues.
China Daily reports that it's all going well (natch!), and that an agreement has been reached between the two leaders on many issues already, as per this newspaper article. Further, it has been cited that Obama fully supports at one-China policy, in respect of Taiwan, and that he believes that uncensored internet access for all is a "source of strength" to all nations. Whether his comments will have any effect on the availability of certain internet sites, including Blogger and Facebook, in China remains to be seen....
A lot of these issues were raised on Monday during the "town hall meeting" (a traditional Chinese-style meeting) that Obama held with top university students in Shanghai, where he fielded questions from the floor. In this meeting, Obama stated that the purpose of his visit is largely to help him better understand China and the Chinese people. Commentary suggests that Obama is trying to win over the Chinese youth in a similar way to that which won him the US elections, using his skills as an orator and "natural performer". I hope his visit achieves both of these objectives! In the meantime, I'm staking out the Forbidden City in case he pays it a visit...
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