Home
Obama and Xi Jinping of China Agree to Steps on Cybertheft
WASHINGTON — President Obama said Friday that he had reached a “common understanding” with President Xi Jinping of China to combat “cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property,” but made it clear that wide areas of disagreement remained over how to stop an escalation of Chinese cyberthefts and the possibility of an American response.
With Mr. Xi standing beside him at a Rose Garden news conference, Mr. Obama referred to the cyberattacks against American targets and said, “I indicated it has to stop.” But he also hailed progress with China on climate change and the nuclear accord with Iran, and said that both he and Mr. Xi were committed to pressing ahead against the North Korean nuclear problem, which has defied solution for more than 20 years.
It was evident from the comments of both leaders that they had not reached an agreement on China’s reclamation of islands in the South China Sea, which Mr. Xi defended during his own remarks, saying that Beijing supported the “freedom of navigation according to international law.” That suggested that no accord had been reached on China’s claim that the islands are its sovereign territory.
But both Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi made an effort to demonstrate that the two countries had made progress on curbing cyberattacks, even while skirting direct references to some of the most contentious issues, including the American claim that China was behind the theft of security dossiers on roughly 22 million Americans from the Office of Personnel Management.
“Confrontation and friction are not the right choice,” Mr. Xi said.
A joint statement issued by the White House indicated that the two leaders had agreed that “neither country’s government will conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors.” Mr. Xi repeated those words, but said nothing of cyberespionage.
The two countries also embraced a United Nations accord, adopted in July, that commits the signatories not to target one another’s critical infrastructure — power plants, cellphone networks and financial transactions — in peacetime. But that leaves open many questions, since there are many definitions of what constitutes critical infrastructure.
While Mr. Obama hailed the agreement, he said the question now was, “Are words followed by actions?”
“We will be watching carefully,” he said.
Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi spoke in the Rose Garden after meeting for more than two hours in the White House.
The morning began with an elaborate White House welcome, complete with a 21-gun salute that reverberated across the South Lawn as a military band played the national anthem and then “March of Volunteers,” the anthem of the People’s Republic of China since the 1949 revolution.
Protesters were kept at a distance, a block from the White House, and their chants could only be heard faintly from the South Lawn. The elaborate welcome ceremony, designed to project a strong partnership between the world’s two largest economies even as the leaders prepared to hash out a range of contentious disputes, went off without the heckling that so angered the Chinese when President George W. Bush hosted Mr. Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao, in 2006.
Mr. Obama spoke of the long history of “friendship and cooperation between our two great peoples,” citing the Chinese immigrants who “helped build our railroads and our great cities.”
“When the United States and China work together, it makes our nations and the world more prosperous and secure,” Mr. Obama said. But in a nod to the countries’ substantial disagreements, he added, “Even as our nations cooperate, I believe, and I know that you agree, we must address our differences candidly.”
For Mr. Xi, the most important outcome of the trip was his ability to project an image of strength and command while China’s markets, and its economy, are suffering one of their worst downturns in decades of remarkable growth. His first stop — in Seattle, where he met with American technology leaders eager for greater inroads in the Chinese market but concerned about China’s demands for access to their technology and the data that runs on their networks — was designed to show that America’s most famous capitalists had to pay homage.
But the White House also wanted to celebrate areas of cooperation, and American officials leaked word late Thursday of a broad agreement between the two leaders on climate change. The keystone of that pact is a landmark commitment Mr. Xi will make to begin a national cap-and-trade program in 2017 that will place an annual limit on greenhouse gas emissions and allow companies to buy and sell permits to pollute.
The two presidents are expected to point to their cooperation on combating the planet’s warming as evidence of their ability to put aside differences and use their heft on the global stage to tackle major problems, while also intensifying pressure on other nations to follow their lead.
Mr. Obama’s aides knew that a dinner Thursday night at Blair House, across the street from the White House, and the meetings Friday in the Oval Office had to be focused on an array of topics that divide the leaders. Those issues include cyberattacks for which Mr. Obama has threatened sanctions against China, the Chinese military’s reclamation of islands and atolls in disputed areas of the South China Sea, and human rights.
American and Chinese officials have been negotiating intensely to reach a preliminary deal on cyberattacks, an irritant in their relationship that has festered for two years. It has taken on new urgency at the White House since a hacking episode at the Office of Personnel Management allowed the theft of 22 million security dossiers and 5.6 million fingerprints. Officials have been discussing a pact that would amount to an agreement not to attack each other’s critical infrastructure during peacetime.
But they were under pressure to do more, because such an agreement would be largely symbolic — neither country would gain from such an attack unless it was part of broader hostilities — and it would not address state-sponsored theft of intellectual property or personal information, one of the most delicate areas.
Before the discussions on China’s move to build runways and other infrastructure on artificial islands in contested parts of the South China Sea, the Chinese foreign ministry put out talking points, saying the vast expanse of that sea is “a big place that can accommodate freedom of navigation by all.” But at the same time, they argued that the new islands were Chinese territory, and that the United States should not interfere in the question of ownership.
White House officials said Mr. Obama would also raise his concern about China’s proposed legislation on foreign nongovernmental organizations, which the White House regards as a way to restrict the rights of civil society groups, academics and others in the name of security. There will be glimmers of agreement beyond climate change, however, including on economic issues. The two leaders will most likely reiterate their determination to work together on an investment treaty, although they are unlikely to make progress on it during this visit.
They are also aiming for a deal to expand educational exchanges between the United States and China. And there is likely to be an agreement on rules governing episodes involving Chinese and American military aircraft, aimed at avoiding accidents or confrontations.
Their meetings began Thursday night with a working dinner at Blair House, where Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi, along with senior members of their administrations, spent about two and a half hours in private discussions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/26/world/asia/xi-jinping-white-house.html?_r=1
WASHINGTON — President Obama said Friday that he had reached a “common understanding” with President Xi Jinping of China to combat “cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property,” but made it clear that wide areas of disagreement remained over how to stop an escalation of Chinese cyberthefts and the possibility of an American response.
With Mr. Xi standing beside him at a Rose Garden news conference, Mr. Obama referred to the cyberattacks against American targets and said, “I indicated it has to stop.” But he also hailed progress with China on climate change and the nuclear accord with Iran, and said that both he and Mr. Xi were committed to pressing ahead against the North Korean nuclear problem, which has defied solution for more than 20 years.
It was evident from the comments of both leaders that they had not reached an agreement on China’s reclamation of islands in the South China Sea, which Mr. Xi defended during his own remarks, saying that Beijing supported the “freedom of navigation according to international law.” That suggested that no accord had been reached on China’s claim that the islands are its sovereign territory.
But both Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi made an effort to demonstrate that the two countries had made progress on curbing cyberattacks, even while skirting direct references to some of the most contentious issues, including the American claim that China was behind the theft of security dossiers on roughly 22 million Americans from the Office of Personnel Management.
“Confrontation and friction are not the right choice,” Mr. Xi said.
A joint statement issued by the White House indicated that the two leaders had agreed that “neither country’s government will conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors.” Mr. Xi repeated those words, but said nothing of cyberespionage.
The two countries also embraced a United Nations accord, adopted in July, that commits the signatories not to target one another’s critical infrastructure — power plants, cellphone networks and financial transactions — in peacetime. But that leaves open many questions, since there are many definitions of what constitutes critical infrastructure.
While Mr. Obama hailed the agreement, he said the question now was, “Are words followed by actions?”
“We will be watching carefully,” he said.
Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi spoke in the Rose Garden after meeting for more than two hours in the White House.
The morning began with an elaborate White House welcome, complete with a 21-gun salute that reverberated across the South Lawn as a military band played the national anthem and then “March of Volunteers,” the anthem of the People’s Republic of China since the 1949 revolution.
Protesters were kept at a distance, a block from the White House, and their chants could only be heard faintly from the South Lawn. The elaborate welcome ceremony, designed to project a strong partnership between the world’s two largest economies even as the leaders prepared to hash out a range of contentious disputes, went off without the heckling that so angered the Chinese when President George W. Bush hosted Mr. Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao, in 2006.
Mr. Obama spoke of the long history of “friendship and cooperation between our two great peoples,” citing the Chinese immigrants who “helped build our railroads and our great cities.”
“When the United States and China work together, it makes our nations and the world more prosperous and secure,” Mr. Obama said. But in a nod to the countries’ substantial disagreements, he added, “Even as our nations cooperate, I believe, and I know that you agree, we must address our differences candidly.”
For Mr. Xi, the most important outcome of the trip was his ability to project an image of strength and command while China’s markets, and its economy, are suffering one of their worst downturns in decades of remarkable growth. His first stop — in Seattle, where he met with American technology leaders eager for greater inroads in the Chinese market but concerned about China’s demands for access to their technology and the data that runs on their networks — was designed to show that America’s most famous capitalists had to pay homage.
But the White House also wanted to celebrate areas of cooperation, and American officials leaked word late Thursday of a broad agreement between the two leaders on climate change. The keystone of that pact is a landmark commitment Mr. Xi will make to begin a national cap-and-trade program in 2017 that will place an annual limit on greenhouse gas emissions and allow companies to buy and sell permits to pollute.
The two presidents are expected to point to their cooperation on combating the planet’s warming as evidence of their ability to put aside differences and use their heft on the global stage to tackle major problems, while also intensifying pressure on other nations to follow their lead.
Mr. Obama’s aides knew that a dinner Thursday night at Blair House, across the street from the White House, and the meetings Friday in the Oval Office had to be focused on an array of topics that divide the leaders. Those issues include cyberattacks for which Mr. Obama has threatened sanctions against China, the Chinese military’s reclamation of islands and atolls in disputed areas of the South China Sea, and human rights.
American and Chinese officials have been negotiating intensely to reach a preliminary deal on cyberattacks, an irritant in their relationship that has festered for two years. It has taken on new urgency at the White House since a hacking episode at the Office of Personnel Management allowed the theft of 22 million security dossiers and 5.6 million fingerprints. Officials have been discussing a pact that would amount to an agreement not to attack each other’s critical infrastructure during peacetime.
But they were under pressure to do more, because such an agreement would be largely symbolic — neither country would gain from such an attack unless it was part of broader hostilities — and it would not address state-sponsored theft of intellectual property or personal information, one of the most delicate areas.
Before the discussions on China’s move to build runways and other infrastructure on artificial islands in contested parts of the South China Sea, the Chinese foreign ministry put out talking points, saying the vast expanse of that sea is “a big place that can accommodate freedom of navigation by all.” But at the same time, they argued that the new islands were Chinese territory, and that the United States should not interfere in the question of ownership.
White House officials said Mr. Obama would also raise his concern about China’s proposed legislation on foreign nongovernmental organizations, which the White House regards as a way to restrict the rights of civil society groups, academics and others in the name of security. There will be glimmers of agreement beyond climate change, however, including on economic issues. The two leaders will most likely reiterate their determination to work together on an investment treaty, although they are unlikely to make progress on it during this visit.
They are also aiming for a deal to expand educational exchanges between the United States and China. And there is likely to be an agreement on rules governing episodes involving Chinese and American military aircraft, aimed at avoiding accidents or confrontations.
Their meetings began Thursday night with a working dinner at Blair House, where Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi, along with senior members of their administrations, spent about two and a half hours in private discussions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/26/world/asia/xi-jinping-white-house.html?_r=1
» utube MM&C 4/16/24 IQD Update - Iraq Dinar - America - Activate - Massive Economic Deals -
» Central Bank: Washington praised Iraq's measures to resolve 80% of the financial transfer file
» Voices of Resilience: Al-Sudani’s frankness embarrasses the White House
» Al-Alaq confirms the formation of a committee between Baghdad and Washington regarding sanctions on
» Former MP: The Democrat will not hand over power after the regional elections
» Document/allocation of 20% of the lands of Al-Jawahiri Complex to employees of the Ministry of Defen
» Al-Hakim: Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington was a protocol and missed the two most important files
» Parliamentary Security: The National Security Service law will be voted on by Parliament soon
» Reconstruction and Housing: Zarbatieh residential project completed by 82%
» Al-Sudani reveals an intention to establish Al-Faw refinery with a capacity of 300 thousand barrels
» Government readiness to move the Doura refinery to an alternative location.. What are the conditions
» Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington.. Implications and results
» Association of Iraqi Private Banks: The suspension of some electronic payment services yesterday was
» Parliamentary memorandum.. Two solutions were before the Federal Court instead of removing the compo
» Blue fuel... Iraqi steps towards inexhaustible wealth for a century
» For fear of being "upset"... MPs "evade" signing to host Al-Sudani in Parliament
» Al-Sudani’s statement to convert 40% of Iraq’s exports into derivatives.. What does it have to do wi
» An Iraqi-American partnership to benefit from oil field gas
» The Minister of Commerce announces the distribution of the first payments of farmers’ dues for the 2
» Sudanese to members of the Iraqi community in the American city of Houston: Iraq has regained its he
» Romanski announces loans worth $50 million to support the Iraqi private sector
» Prime Minister: We plan to invest production capacities for export
» “Something happened” in Iran and no one is talking about Iraq and Syria. This is what we have so far
» Al-Sudani asks the American Baker Institute for assistance in preparing studies related to the oil m
» The Interior Ministry denies the occurrence of explosions inside Iraqi territory and diagnoses “the
» Tensions between Najaf and Baghdad over the airport... the rule of law over “military force” and the
» Al-Sudani from Washington: We agreed with Abu Dhabi on joint management of Al-Faw Port
» "Al-Party" talks about the region's elections and reveals the reason for refusing to pay salaries di
» Russia's oil is taking more of the Middle East's shares in the Indian market.. How much has Iraq los
» Early next month.. Traffic confirms that the electronic payment system is working only
» The Service Council accuses state departments of refraining from disbursing bonuses because of the m
» Electricity: The Baghdad street lighting campaign will be completed before the middle of this year
» Oil poses two conditions for moving the Doura refinery to an alternative location
» The Foreign Minister reveals the truth about his resignation and the reason for his departure to Erb
» Progress: Al-Halbousi’s acquittal has become conclusive, and his return to the presidency of Parliam
» Disagreements strike Al-Maliki's coalition over choosing the governor of Diyala
» The Union accuses Türkiye of exploiting the political situation for a ground incursion into Iraq
» The Democratic Party: Barzani is eagerly awaiting the results of Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington
» Frame: Al-Halbousi in the news and his return has become a pipe dream
» A parliamentary request to capitalize on Erdogan’s visit to Baghdad to end the water crisis
» utube 4/18/24 Iraq: Over 14 Agreements Signed Between Iraq and US BREAKING NEWS from Congress.
» Al-Sudani urges the US corporation Honeywell to help finish the Basra refinery
» Al-Sudani Meets with Representatives of Western Media Outlets in Washington
» Chairman of the Investment Authority signs the United Nations Convention on International Mediation
» PM: We will sign a contract to establish the Al-Faw refinery with a Chinese company
» PM arrives in Houston as part of his visit to USA
» Militia Man & Crew 4/18/24 Bush signed it and all presidents implemented it. Iraq’s funds have been
» Iraq is close to launching the electronic signature
» The Basra government discusses with an international oil company the implementation of social benefi
» The Prime Minister confirms to an American company: Gas projects in Iraq are a priority for the gove
» The Minister of Planning discusses with the World Bank mechanisms for scheduling external loans
» Oil sets the twenty-seventh of this month as the date for opening contracts for the fifth complement
» “Electronic begging”...professionalism and fabrication of stories” generates millions of dinars dail
» Al-Sudani calls on the American company Hanwell to contribute to the completion of the Basra refiner
» An American company expresses its willingness to establish LED lighting production lines in Iraq
» Including Iraq.. Iran announces the possibility of exporting 300 megawatts of “renewable electricity
» Political forces present two options to find an alternative to Al-Halbousi
» Parliament is awaiting the arrival of the budget schedules and the government is studying higher spe
» The International Monetary Fund adjusts its expectations for the development of the world’s economie
» A representative talks about the difficulty of finalizing the file of “electing the Speaker of Parli
» Work on preparing a law for diplomatic passports
» A female representative accuses the Ministry of Immigration of corruption
» Minister: Solving the Kurdistan salaries problem is the beginning of addressing other disputes betwe
» About 270 million dollars were sold by the Central Bank of Iraq in the currency auction
» The volume of trade exchange between Jordan and Iraq will exceed 800 million dinars in 2023
» Iraq signs memorandums of understanding with American companies in the fields of electricity, oil an
» The American company that manufactures the F16 expresses its readiness to implement the terms of con
» The volume of expected Qatari investments for the Iraq Fund for Development exceeds $3.5 billion
» Decrease in dollar prices in Baghdad and Erbil
» The President of the Region brings together the Kurdish parties to resolve the election file
» Al-Sudani receives in Washington the Chairman of JPMorgan
» Transport is starting to transform its ports into smart ones
» Sudanese reveals the volume of exchange with America
» "Al-Eqtisad News" publishes the memorandums of understanding signed between the Iraqi delegation and
» Al-Sudani urges an American company to contribute to establishing a chemical materials factory
» Iraq stresses the importance of Lockheed Martin's commitment to opening military aircraft maintenanc
» Iraq is on the verge of a “water disaster” by 2035
» Great satisfaction and optimism with the results of Sudanese’s visit to Washington
» Transport is beginning to adopt a plan to transform its ports into smart ones
» Completed 8,000 loan transactions at the Housing Bank
» Prime Minister: We plan to invest production capacities for export
» Transformation and partnership...a new horizon in Iraqi-American relations
» What is new in the economic dimension of the Washington visit?
» Two letters to the future
» National interests first
» Iraqi-American rapprochement...a national necessity
» Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington and the course of Iraqi-American relations
» Sudanese carries security, economic and development files to Washington
» Armament and military development... features of a sustainable partnership
» Analysts: Sudanese's visit to Washington will achieve excellent results in the future
» Iraqi-American relations...the legacy of the past and the aspirations of partnership
» Sudanese and external necessities
» The Strategic Framework Agreement... 7 important provisions
» Joint statement of the Iraqi-American discussions
» Supreme Coordinating Committee: Iraq's role is vital to the security and prosperity of the region
» Towards an effective bilateral economic relationship between Baghdad and Washington
» She saw it as a new, different chapter in Iraqi-American relations... Al-Sudani’s visit to Washingto
» Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington.. Implications and results