In a question and answer session with Senate Democrats today, President Obama vowed to take a tougher stance on trade with China but said he opposed becoming protectionist. From BBC:
At a meeting with Senate Democrats, Mr Obama was asked whether the US would cut ties with Beijing over ongoing trade disputes.
The president said he would continue to make sure that China and other countries lived up to abide by trade agreements, but warned it would be a mistake for the US to become protectionist.
“The approach that we’re taking is to try to get much tougher about the enforcement of existing rules, putting constant pressure on China and other countries to open up their markets in reciprocal ways,” he said.
“But what I don’t want to do is for us as a country or as a party, to shy away from the prospects of international competition.”
Watch the full video of Obama’s meeting via C-SPAN. A question about China is the first one asked:
See also “Currency Dispute Likely to Further Fray U.S.-China Ties” and “Who Needs Whom More?” by Philip Bowring, both from the New York Times.
