Jim Patterson & President Obama on the China Challenges

Dear Jim: Thank you for writing.  I welcome the continuing rise of a China that is peaceful, prosperous, and stable, and that plays a responsible role in the world.  The United States has much to gain from a closer working relationship with China, and there are very few global challenges we can address effectively without its active cooperation.  With significant resources and skill in addressing a range of challenges, China plays a major part in the global economy, and engagement with the Chinese government is important to ensuring strong, sustainable, and balanced growth around the world.  My Administration is working with China on a number of issues, including stopping North Korea’s nuclear program, food safety and public health, energy security and climate change, and nuclear non-proliferation and counterterrorism.  We want to deepen our cooperation in addressing these issues in the years ahead. In addition to expanding practical cooperation, I am also committed to working with our Chinese counterparts to constructively manage our differences.  Improved relations with China will require candor and open discussion about those issues on which we may disagree.  We must address human rights, democracy, and free speech, as well as cybersecurity and maritime issues, and we must create a level playing field for American workers, ranchers, and businesses.  We must also strive to ensure that the global economic system is governed by international rules based on open and transparent economic competition.  These important matters will be essential elements of our ongoing engagement with China. Thank you, again, for writing.  For more information on my foreign policy agenda, I encourage you to visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/Issues/Foreign-Policy. Sincerely, Barack Obama Note: The next to last sentence is realistic in tone. but lacks heft. "maritime" issues is, of course, code for South China Sea. It has to get stronger than this. JEP>