SHANGHAI — Politely but firmly pressing for greater freedoms on China's own turf, President Obama spoke against censorship Monday, saying tough criticisms of political leaders should be allowed and the free flow of information on the Internet "should be encouraged."
The president's message during a town hall-style meeting with university students in Shanghai, China's commercial hub, focused on one of the trickiest issues separating China's communist government and the United States — human rights.
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"We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation," Obama said. But, he said, such things as freedom of expression and worship,
unfettered access to information and unrestricted political participation "should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities, whether they are in the United States, China or any nation."He took eight questions, half from audience members and half from among the hundreds submitted over the Internet, in a session that the White House negotiated with the Chinese government up to the last minute. Obama spoke at the most length, and in the most animated terms near the end, when answering a question about China's firewall that blocks access to many Internet sites.
"I'm a big supporter of non-censorship," Obama said. "I recognize that different countries have different traditions. I can tell you that in the United States, the fact that we have free Internet — or unrestricted Internet access is a source of strength, and I think should be encouraged."
The first-term U.S. president then flew to Beijing where Obama quickly drove to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for Obama's third meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Trade, climate change and economic issues were expected to dominate. The two leaders had dinner in the government complex and were scheduled to meet again Tuesday.
In brief remarks before their initial talks, Hu noted Obama's meeting with students, calling the session "quite lively."
Obama smiled broadly, throughout the Chinese leaders welcoming remarks, then told Hu that "the world recognizes the importance of the U.S.-Chinese relationship" in tackling global problems.
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Obama's message, aside from his proddings on human rights, was clear: Few global challenges can be solved unless the world's only superpower and its rising competitor work together. He and his advisers have insisted in virtually all public utterances since he arrived in Japan on Friday: "We do not seek to contain China's rise."
As Obama arrived in China on Sunday for his first visit here, several Chinese human rights leaders asked for his help with government oppression that they say has never been worse.
Obama has pledged to raise human rights issues in meetings with the communist regime, which arrested several dissidents ahead of his trip. A televised town-hall-style forum today provided Chinese students with a rare unscripted opportunity to speak in public.
Teng Biao, a Beijing-based lawyer, says he and numerous colleagues recently were stripped of their legal licenses after taking on controversial cases. He says officials blocked him from defending Chen Guangcheng, a blind legal activist who exposed forced abortions in eastern China and is now serving a four-year jail term.
"Now that Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize, he should use his influence to ask China's leaders to improve the rule of law and release the lawyers who are in jail," Teng says.
Fu Hualing, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, says the government fears that "lawyers can organize otherwise isolated people" on sensitive issues such as Tibet or religious freedom.
"I hope President Obama, as a lawyer, pays attention to the human rights situation," says lawyer Lan Zhixue.
The officially atheist Chinese government, which allows worship only in state-approved churches, also has closed some unsanctioned places of worship.
Some religious leaders expressed concern that Obama, who is on an eight-day trip in Asia, would not press China too hard because he needs its help on other issues such as climate change and trade.
"I think, so far, President Obama has been the worst president in terms of dealing with China's human rights issue," said Fan Yafeng, leader of an unregistered church.
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