Future Chinese President Met Obama On Valentine's Day

Chinese Future President Xi Jinping who is expected to take office on March 2013 became Obama's Valentine this year. They met in Washington DC on Feb 14.




Obama has the same rhetoric in different international conferences so many times, which makes what he said become a cliche. But this is probably the most "necessary" cliche in international community to remind two largest economies in the world periodically that we are intertwined in so many areas though we have mutual suspicions and so many divergences over sensitive issues. As tricky it is, China and the US are never tired of playing this punch-and-then-fondle game. They are just like one couple who has so many divergent living habits but has to live under one roof because they are meant to be together. Why? This article recommended by NoTimeFor10 explains everything.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/13/news/economy/china_us_relations/index.htm?iid=HP_Highlight&hpt=hp_c1

What Does an American Student Like and Dislike about China

Check out these two videos clips about what an American student likes and dislikes about China. FUNNY!!

Surprisingly, I totally agree with his dislike about China.

In terms of his like about China,

First, the exchange rate to US dollar has become 6:1. Food in Beijing and Shanghai is not as cheap as he claimed because of the inflation taking place from last year. Just three people dining in a restaurant of TGI Friday level in Beijing will cost about 400 Chinese Yuan, equivalent to 67 US dollars.

Personally, I think American people are much nicer than Chinese people. THIS IS MY LIKE ABOUT AMERICA. Chinese people will not definitely push the door for another person who comes after him or her; or smile to each other frequently on streets. Otherwise, people would assume you are flirting or something. Probably because I am not a nice person, I did not notice the nice quality of our people.

After watching this, I began to wonder when to make my videos of WHAT I LIKE AND DISLIKE ABOUT AMERICA.

Chinese Tourists Significantly Impact American Tourism Industry

Nearly a thousand Chinese tourists celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year in Disneyland Resort in California this year. In order to make Chinese tourists in the United States spend a colorful Chinese New Year holiday, Disneyland Resort in California well prepared the "dumpling feast" and the VIP exclusive "fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle show" to entertain Chinese tourists. This is the second year when Chinese visitors were invited to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in California. This group of Chinese tourists are called "God of Wealth" by Californian officials. This Chinese group spent $ 2,652 per person at least during their stay, twice than the per capita consumption of all overseas visitors in California.

According to "Wall Street Journal", for many wealthy Chinese tourists, the sound of  celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year is not from fireworks, but from the tinkle of foreign store cash registers . "Many are going shopping!" Officials in charge of outbound travel agents said, "Luxury-hunting consumers in the urban China is the main group of Chinese New Year travel in Europe and America." Based on the newest report, China has become the world's largest consumer of luxury goods.

This is only a small part of Chinese tourists to the United States. Approximately 1.15 million Chinese toured the US in 2011. It is estimated to exceed 1.3 million this year. The statistics released by the U.S. Department of Commerce show that per capita consumption of foreign tourists in the United States is $ 4,000 , while per capita consumption of Chinese tourists is $6200. However, from the perspective of the United States Travel Association, $ 6,200 is clearly underestimated. It believes that the DoC only calculates the money Chinese tourists spend on the retail industry; in fact, if taking transportation, hotels, restaurants and spontaneous activities at their own expense into account, the per capita consumption of Chinese tourists would be at least $ 8,000. 

 

Obama Mention China Five Times in State of the Union

President Obama released his third State of the Union in his first term. He mentioned China five times in this State of the Union. Compared with the previous two state of the Union, the number of reference to China increases year by year; the tone also has changed significantly. He posed a very hard attitude towards trade with China. In three consecutive State of the Union, “China” without exception, becomes one of the highest frequently occurred countries in his speeches. The number of occurrences is 2, 4 and 5 from 2011 to 2012 respectively.

The references to China last night were all related to economy. Beginning within a few minutes, he encouraged U.S. companies to bring back American jobs from overseas, said “We can't bring back every job that's left our shores. But right now, it's getting more expensive to do business in places like China.” The second time when Obama mentioned China his attitude tended to be hard. He said, “We've brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration – and it's made a difference.” In order to prove the case of the so-called remedy the effect of trade with China, Obama used China as an example, “Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires.” The fourth time Obama announced the establishment of a trade enforcement department dedicated to investigating China's "unfair trade practices." Finally, Obama stressed that he " will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany"

Throughout the three State of the Union, Barack Obama changed China-related words significantly. In State of the Union 2010 for the first time he stressed that China has the fastest train and the production of clean energy products and new plants, and  "do not accept the United States become the second," indicating a strong sense of  competition with China; In 2011, Obama recognized China's leading position in certain areas, quite with a tone of “learning from China”; this time,  emphasizing the number of trade cases against China, and announcing the establishment of a new institution show his hardened attitude toward China.

Compared with the previous president, we can also see the significant differences. In the past, China appears frequently in the U.S. presidential State of the Union as an object of "learning lessons ", "being educated" or even "being helped". In State of the Union 1999, Clinton had a command, said: "to help China integrate into the world." Bush also claimed in 2008 to "help" China to make better use of clean energy; but Obama is no longer such a high profile. He was even worried that the U.S. lags behind China, "become the second”

The speech was against the backdrop of the forthcoming U.S. presidential election and I think this is main reason why he hardened his words for China. Playing China card is a typical gesture for almost every presidential candidate since Bill Clinton. From last year, Republican candidates have begun to speculate China issues; Obama taking a tough attitude on trade issues with China aims to win over some voters and avoid giving the Republicans more ammunition.

China now is the second largest economy in the world, largest creditor to the US debt and second largest US’s trade partner.