Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abbott of Australia After Bilateral Meeting

Beijing, China

3:20 P.M. CST

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I just want to express my appreciation to Prime Minister Abbott and his team, and the people of Australia not only for the upcoming G-20 and the arrangements that they've made for what I'm sure is going to be a very important discussion about global growth, but for the incredibly strong bilateral alliance and relationship between our peoples.  Time and again, Australia has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States on issues of critical international security.  Today is no different. 

We have seen Australian participation as part of a coalition dealing with ISIL in Iraq.  They continue to be an outstanding member of the coalition in our efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.  Tony personally has expressed his extraordinary commitment to battling foreign fighters that threaten both of our homelands.  And obviously, the men and women of the Australian armed forces have terrific capabilities and on many occasions have made extraordinary sacrifice.  So first and foremost, I want to thank him for the security partnership that we have.

We also have a strong economic partnership.  And I'm certain that the G-20 will be productive because Tony has emphasized the need for us to emphasize growth and jobs.  That's true in Australia, that's true in the United States.  It's true around the world at a time when global demand continues to be weak, and we see certain regions of the world lagging behind the kind of growth rates that we'd like to see.  And so I'm looking forward to a very productive conversation there.

We also discussed the opportunities.  TPP is an obvious one, and Australia has been an outstanding partner on that front.  We have additional opportunities in APEC and the East Asia Summit to discuss how this incredibly dynamic region can cooperate more effectively together around issues like infrastructure, disaster relief, streamlining regulations to facilitate greater trade.  Throughout all this, we find that Australia consistently shares values, ideals, a sense of global responsibility that is unparalleled.  And we very much appreciate our friendship and our cooperation, and are confident that over the next several days we'll be making progress on all these fronts.

PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:  Barack, thank you so much.  It's great to be here in Beijing with you and with obviously many other leaders. 

I see the next couple of days in Beijing here at APEC as being very much the right lead-in to the G-20 in Brisbane because essentially both APEC and the G-20 are about growth and jobs.  That's what the world needs.  It needs more growth.  And more growth means more jobs.

So I'm very pleased to be here.  I guess I should observe that one of the innovations of the G-20 this year has been not only to agree that we need more growth, but for all of the G-20 countries to put forward its plan for growth, and to submit individual country plans to a form of peer review.  And the fact that we've all been able to say not just that we want growth, but that we intend to get extra growth in a particular way, and then to let everyone know what that way is means that there's a good chance that it's actually going to get delivered because we'll be able to see in the months and years ahead how much of these growth strategies are actually being delivered.

But again, if I may say, it is always good to be with the President of the United States.  Australia and the United States are a great partnership.  And I want to thank President Obama for the leadership that he's shown in so many areas.  But obviously as we deal with the ISIL death cult in the Middle East, your leadership has been deft.  And Australia is very -- we don't like being -- the necessity of being part of the coalition, but it is a necessity.  And that's why we'll be a staunch member.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  All right, we've got time for a couple questions each.  We’ll start with Julie Pace of AP. 

Q      Thank you, Mr. President.  Can you give us a sense of what signals or outreach you received from the North Koreans that led to your decision to send James Clapper to secure the release of the Americans?  And do you see this breakthrough as a possible precursor to broader talks with North Korea on nuclear issues or other matters?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  We had an indication that there was the possibility of the release of these two hostages or prisoners -- and we pursued it.  It did not touch on some of the broader issues that have been the source of primary concern when it comes to North Korea -- in particular, it's development of nuclear capacity.

There were not high-level policy discussions between Jim Clapper and the North Koreans.  But we have been consistent in saying that when and if North Korea becomes serious about denuclearization on the Peninsula and is prepared to have a conversation around that topic, then the United States is going to be very open to trying to arrive at a solution that over the long term could lead to greater prosperity and security for North Korea.

 Until that time, there's going to be a core problem between us.  And obviously I'm incredibly thankful to Jim Clapper for the efforts that he made.  And I couldn't be happier for the families as we enter into the holidays to know that their loved ones are back.  It's a good-news story.

We continue, though, to have a broader fundamental conflict with the North Koreans.  And it's going to take, I think in addition to small gestures like the ones that we saw -- the release of these individuals -- a broader understanding on the part of the North Koreans that all the countries in the region, including China, including the Republic of Korea, including Japan consider this to be their number-one security priority -- making sure that we do not have a nuclearized Korean Peninsula.  And up until this point at least, we had not seen serious engagement on the part of Pyongyang to deal with that problem.

Q       Did you get any better indication about Kim Jong-un and his strategy for dealing with the U.S. through these negotiations?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  No.

PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:  I think we have an Australia question?  Phil?

Q       Phil Currie, from the Australian Financial Review.  Mr. President, your government had conversations with our government about China's proposal for the Infrastructure Investment Bank in the region.  Could I ask you, sir, what your concerns were about that bank, what you relayed to our government?  Were they more strategic or were they financial?

And, Mr. Abbott, would you like to comment, as well? 

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  It's interesting.  We were talking before you came in about my belief that it's in all of our interest for China to be successful, prosperous and to be an outstanding international partner.

You want the most populous country in the world to be stable and successful.  And as China has undertaken this extraordinary journey over the last several decades, and we've seen unprecedented numbers of people move out of dire poverty into a more stable economic situation, it's all for the good if China then now becomes a contributor to broader international efforts to help less developed countries and to alleviate poverty elsewhere. 

 So not only are we not opposed to those efforts, we want to actively encourage efforts for China to make contributions to the international order.  But what we've consistently said is that it's important for China to uphold international rules and norms as it expands its influence both regionally and around the world.

So on something like an infrastructure bank in this region, making sure that there's transparency and accountability, and that if it's, in fact, a multilateral institution, that there are rules that all countries are abiding by in the operations of the institution.  Those are the same rules by which the World Bank or IMF or Asia Development Bank or any other international institutions needs to abide by.

When the United States helped to craft those institutions after World War II, the United States deliberately restrained itself in some ways, bound itself to certain norms and certain rules because we were confident that when everybody is following a set of rules of the road, all of us are better off -- large countries, small countries alike. 

And so I think our message, whether it's on the Asia Development Bank or on some of the maritime issues that have caused tension and consternation in the region, our message is that we want to see China successful.  Inevitably, they are going to have influence and exert a certain gravitational pull just by dint of size and what's happened with their economy and the extraordinary capabilities of their people.  But as they grow, we want them to be a partner in underwriting the international order, not undermining it.

PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:  Phil, as you know, the Chinese have been promoting this for at least 12 months now.  And ever since the idea was first floated, many countries have been talking to China about it and amongst themselves about it.  So there’s been lots and lots of conversations with a whole range of people in countries about the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. 

In principle, a new multilateral body to help promote infrastructure will be good for growth and good for jobs.  But it does, as far as we’re concerned, have to be a genuinely multilateral body; and as a genuinely multilateral body, would be very happy to be part of it -- and I think most countries would.  And I guess that’s what we’re looking to see.  We’re looking to see some evolution in the time ahead to a situation where this has the sorts of governance and transparency that other multilateral institutions have.

So it’s a body that no one country can unilaterally control.  And if and when we get that, I think it will be a good contributor to growth in our region and in the wider world.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Phil Mattingly.

Q       Thank you, Mr. President.  Chinese President Xi Jinping said yesterday that he backed how the current chief executive is handling protestors in Hong Kong.  I wondered if you agreed with that assessment.  And what, if any, concerns do you plan on raising about the issue while you’re here in Beijing?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Our message has been consistent with President Xi and with his predecessors.  There are certain things that the United States believes.  We believe in freedom of speech.  We believe in freedom of association.  We believe in openness in government as befitting our traditions and our way of life.  We don’t expect China to follow an American model in every instance, but we’re going to continue to have concerns about human rights.  Obviously the situation between China and Hong Kong is historically complicated and is in the process of transition.  And I think our primary message has been to make sure that violence is avoided as the people of Hong Kong try to sort through what this next phase of their relationship is to the mainland.

But we’re not going to stop speaking out on behalf of the things that we care about, recognizing that we also have significant interest in business to do with China, and recognizing that China is not at the same place in terms of their development, both politically and economically, as we are today.  But I think it would be unrealistic to expect that we set those concerns aside because, as I’ve said in international forums as well as bilateral meetings, respect for human rights, respect for the dignity of individuals I don’t believe is unique to America, it’s not unique to the West.  I think people have aspirations for a certain amount of freedom and dignity, and the ability to shape their own lives all around the globe.  And I’m proud that despite the fact that in too many places those rights aren’t always observed, that we’re consistently a voice encouraging more space for those voices. 

When we travel to Burma later on this trip, you’re seeing an evolution that’s taking place there that’s powerful.  It’s incomplete, it takes place in fits and starts, but it’s something that ultimately I believe will result in greater prosperity and security for the people there.  And to the extent that we can be constructive partners and observers to that process, we will do so.

PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:  I think there’s another Australian question.

Q       Thank you, Prime Minister.  A question for both gentlemen.  I’m sorry, Mark Kenny from Fairfax Media in Australia.  A question for both of you, if I may. 

Mr. President, you’ve recently increased your country’s commitment to the Iraq campaign against ISIL.  I’m wondering, was this specifically raised as a topic in the meeting you just had?  Did you put a request to Australia that it also increase its troop commitment or its military commitment to that effort?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  It was a topic -- because as I said, Australia has been a stalwart contributor to this effort.  And Tony has been crystal clear about why it’s so important for us to defeat ISIL -- not only for the good of the region and the people of Iraq, but ultimately for the people of the United States and Australia and people around the world.

But what I explained to Tony was the same thing that I said in an interview yesterday in the United States.  We’re moving to a slightly different phase now.  Initially our goal was to stop the momentum of ISIL as it was sweeping through Iraq, and you were seeing too many Iraqi security force units scatter.  And although, particularly in Anbar Province in the west, you’re still seeing ISIL take over isolated towns, you haven’t seen the same momentum.

The situation with respect to Iraqi security forces has stabilized, although the number of effective units is significantly smaller than it needs to be.  So the next phase is for us to train and assist Iraqi security forces so that they can begin to build up and go on offense.  We can provide close air support, we can provide logistics and intelligence, but ultimately they’re the ones who are going to have to fight to push ISIL out of some of these areas that they’ve taken over.  And in order for us to do that, we’re going to have to have more trainers on the ground, and that is the reason why I authorized this additional number of U.S. troops.

What hasn’t changed is that it’s not our folks who are going to be doing the fighting.  Iraqis ultimately have to fight ISIL and they have to determine their own security.  But we are recognizing the need for us to ramp up Iraqi capabilities, not only the Iraqi security forces, but also some of the tribes in western Iraq that have shown a willingness to go against ISIL but are out-gunned and too often out-maneuvered at this stage.

Now, I recognize that the United States, as one member of the coalition, has some unique capabilities in setting up the template, setting up the structure for that training to take place in a way that protects our people, ensures that we have the kinds of enablers that make it safe for our folks to be there -- not without risk, but at least it protects them against extraordinary risks.

As we are setting that up, I am having conversations with Australia and other coalition partners that are already committed to putting trainers in to see how they can supplement and work with us in this overall effort.  But the key point that I emphasized to Tony and I’m emphasizing to all our coalition members is our task here is to help Iraqis help themselves.  This is not the same situation as we saw either in the Iraq war in 2003, 2004, 2005, or what we’ve been doing in Afghanistan where our men and women have been much more in the front lines.  It doesn’t mean that there are not risks involved, and I’m very mindful of making sure that as we look at these train-and-assist plans, that we’re setting up the best possible circumstance for what is an inherently dangerous job, but it does mean that the principle that we’re not engaged in direct combat, that continues.

PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT:  The President is absolutely right.  The ISIL death cult is a menace to the whole world.  They’ve declared war on the world.  And it’s good that the President, working with the Iraq government, has assembled a strong coalition to assist the Iraqi government to respond effectively and ultimately to regain control over its own territory.

I think it’s very important that we never lose sight of the fact that this death cult is, as declared Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib, it’s against God, it’s against Islam, and it’s against our common humanity -- as we’ve seen repeatedly in recent months.

So it is important to respond strongly, which is what the U.S.-led coalition is doing.  There are various different missions here.  There’s the advise-and-assist mission.  There’s a developing train-and-assist mission.  Our priority at the moment is getting our special forces into Baghdad and then into the field on the advise-and-assist mission that we’ve sent them.  That’s happening, and I’m confident that our people will do good work.

But the point that the President makes is absolutely right.  In the end, no one is going to fight harder for Iraq than Iraqis will fight for themselves.  And that’s what we’re doing.  We’re helping them to reclaim their country from something which is evil, from something which is a menace to them, and if it’s allowed to remain, will be a menace to all of us.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you very much, everybody.

Statement by the President on Net Neutrality

An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life.  By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known.

“Net neutrality” has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation — but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted.  We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas.  That is why today, I am asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.

When I was a candidate for this office, I made clear my commitment to a free and open Internet, and my commitment remains as strong as ever.  Four years ago, the FCC tried to implement rules that would protect net neutrality with little to no impact on the telecommunications companies that make important investments in our economy.  After the rules were challenged, the court reviewing the rules agreed with the FCC that net neutrality was essential for preserving an environment that encourages new investment in the network, new online services and content, and everything else that makes up the Internet as we now know it.  Unfortunately, the court ultimately struck down the rules — not because it disagreed with the need to protect net neutrality, but because it believed the FCC had taken the wrong legal approach. 

The FCC is an independent agency, and ultimately this decision is theirs alone.  I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online.  The rules I am asking for are simple, common-sense steps that reflect the Internet you and I use every day, and that some ISPs already observe.  These bright-line rules include:

• No blocking.  If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, your ISP should not be permitted to block it.  That way, every player — not just those commercially affiliated with an ISP — gets a fair shot at your business.
• No throttling.  Nor should ISPs be able to intentionally slow down some content or speed up others — through a process often called “throttling” — based on the type of service or your ISP’s preferences.
• Increased transparency.  The connection between consumers and ISPs — the so-called “last mile” — is not the only place some sites might get special treatment.  So, I am also asking the FCC to make full use of the transparency authorities the court recently upheld, and if necessary to apply net neutrality rules to points of interconnection between the ISP and the rest of the Internet.
• No paid prioritization.  Simply put: No service should be stuck in a “slow lane” because it does not pay a fee.  That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth.  So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritization and any other restriction that has a similar effect.

If carefully designed, these rules should not create any undue burden for ISPs, and can have clear, monitored exceptions for reasonable network management and for specialized services such as dedicated, mission-critical networks serving a hospital.  But combined, these rules mean everything for preserving the Internet’s openness.

The rules also have to reflect the way people use the Internet today, which increasingly means on a mobile device.  I believe the FCC should make these rules fully applicable to mobile broadband as well, while recognizing the special challenges that come with managing wireless networks. 

To be current, these rules must also build on the lessons of the past.  For almost a century, our law has recognized that companies who connect you to the world have special obligations not to exploit the monopoly they enjoy over access in and out of your home or business.  That is why a phone call from a customer of one phone company can reliably reach a customer of a different one, and why you will not be penalized solely for calling someone who is using another provider.  It is common sense that the same philosophy should guide any service that is based on the transmission of information — whether a phone call, or a packet of data.

So the time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do.  To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services.  This is a basic acknowledgment of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone — not just one or two companies.

Investment in wired and wireless networks has supported jobs and made America the center of a vibrant ecosystem of digital devices, apps, and platforms that fuel growth and expand opportunity. Importantly, network investment remained strong under the previous net neutrality regime, before it was struck down by the court; in fact, the court agreed that protecting net neutrality helps foster more investment and innovation.  If the FCC appropriately forbears from the Title II regulations that are not needed to implement the principles above — principles that most ISPs have followed for years — it will help ensure new rules are consistent with incentives for further investment in the infrastructure of the Internet.

The Internet has been one of the greatest gifts our economy — and our society — has ever known.  The FCC was chartered to promote competition, innovation, and investment in our networks.  In service of that mission, there is no higher calling than protecting an open, accessible, and free Internet.  I thank the Commissioners for having served this cause with distinction and integrity, and I respectfully ask them to adopt the policies I have outlined here, to preserve this technology’s promise for today, and future generations to come.

Remarks by President Obama at APEC CEO Summit

Beijing, China

4:51 P.M. CST

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you so much.  Xiàwǔ hǎo.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Andrew, for that introduction.  I have had the pleasure of getting to know Andrew very well these past few years.  We have worked him hard –- he helped my administration with strategies for growing high-tech manufacturing to hiring more long-term unemployed.  He’s just as good at corporate citizenship as he is at running a corporation.  Later I’ll visit Brisbane, where I know Andrew spent some of his youth.  I’m sure he’s got some suggestions for fun there, but not necessarily things that a President can do.  (Laughter.)  We don’t know how he spent his youth, but I’m sure he had some fun.  

It is wonderful to be back in China, and I’m grateful for the Chinese people’s extraordinary hospitality.  This is my sixth trip to Asia as President, and my second this year alone.  And that’s because, as I’ve said on each of my visits, America is a thoroughly Pacific nation.  We’ve always had a history with Asia.  And our future -- our security and our prosperity -- is inextricably intertwined with Asia.  I know the business leaders in attendance today agree.

I’ve now had the privilege to address the APEC CEO summit in Singapore, in Yokohama, and in my original hometown of Honolulu, now in Beijing.  And I think it’s safe to say that few global forums are watched more closely by the business community.  There’s a good reason for that.  Taken together, APEC economies account for about 40 percent of the world’s population, and nearly 60 percent of its GDP.  That means we’re home to nearly three billion customers, and three-fifths of the global economy. 

And over the next five years, nearly half of all economic growth outside the United States is projected to come from right here, in Asia.  That makes this region an incredible opportunity for creating jobs and economic growth in the United States.  And any serious leader in America, whether in politics or in commerce, recognizes that fact.

Now the last time I addressed this CEO summit was three years ago.  Today, I’ve come back at a moment when, around the world, the United States is leading from a position of strength.  This year, of course, has seen its share of turmoil and uncertainty.  But whether it’s our fight to degrade and destroy the terrorist network known as ISIL, or to contain and combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the one constant –- the one global necessity –- is and has been American leadership. 

And that leadership in the world is backed by the renewed strength of our economy at home.  Today, our businesses have created 10.6 million jobs over the longest uninterrupted stretch of job growth in American history.  We’re on pace for the best year of job growth since the 1990s.  Since we started creating jobs again, the U.S. has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and every other advanced economy combined. 

And when you factor in what’s happening in our broader economy –- a manufacturing sector that as Andrew said is growing now at a rapid pace; graduation rates that are rising; deficits that have shrunk by two-thirds; health care inflation at 50-year lows; and an energy boom at new highs –- when you put all this together, what you get is an American economy that is primed for steadier, more sustained growth, and better poised to lead and succeed in the 21st century than just about any other nation on Earth.

And you don’t have to take our word for it –- take yours.  For two years in a row, business executives like all of you have said that the world's most attractive place to invest is the United States.  And we're going to go for a three-peat.  We're going to try to make it the same this year.

But despite the responsibilities of American leadership around the world, despite our attention to getting our economy growing, there should be no doubt that the United States of America remains entirely committed when it comes to Asia.  America is a Pacific power, and we are leading to promote shared security and shared economic growth this century, just as we did in the last.

In fact, one of my core messages throughout this trip -- from APEC to the East Asia Summit to the G20 in Australia -- is that working together we need growth that is balanced, growth that is strong, growth that is sustainable, and growth where prosperity is shared by everybody who is willing to work hard.

As President of the United States I make no apologies for doing whatever I can to bring new jobs and new industries to America.  But I've always said, in the 21st century, the pursuit of economic growth, job creation and trade is not a zero-sum game.  One country's prosperity doesn't have to come at the expense of another.  If we work together and act together, strengthening the economic ties between our nations will benefit all of our nations.  That's true for the nations of APEC, and I believe it's particularly true for the relationship between the United States and China.  (Applause.)

I've had the pleasure of hosting President Xi twice in the United States.  The last time we met, in California, he pointed out that the Pacific Ocean is big enough for both of our nations.  And I agree.  The United States welcomes the rise of a prosperous, peaceful and stable China.  I want to repeat that.  (Applause.)  I want to repeat that:  We welcome the rise of a prosperous, peaceful and stable China. 

In fact, over recent decades the United States has worked to help integrate China into the global economy -- not only because it's in China's best interest, but because it's in America's best interest, and the world's best interest.  We want China to do well.  (Applause.)

We compete for business, but we also seek to cooperate on a broad range of shared challenges and shared opportunities.  Whether it's stopping the spread of Ebola, or preventing nuclear -- preventing nuclear proliferation, or deepening our clean energy partnership, combating climate change, a leadership role that, as the world's two largest economies and two largest carbon emitters, we have a special responsibility to embrace. 

If China and the United States can work together, the world benefits.  And that's something this audience is acutely interested in.  (Applause.)  We continually have to work to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment between our two nations.  America's first trade mission visited China just a year after America's revolution ended.  Two hundred and thirty years later, we are the two largest economies in the world. 

And the trade and investment relationship we have benefits both of our countries.  China is our fastest growing export market.  Chinese direct investment in the United States has risen six-fold over the past five years.  Chinese firms directly employ a rapidly growing number of Americans.  And all these things mean jobs for the American people; and deepening these ties will mean more jobs and opportunity for both of our peoples.

And that's why I'm very pleased to announce that during my visit the United States and China have agreed to implement a new arrangement for visas that will benefit everyone from students, to tourists, to businesses large and small.  Under the current arrangement, visas between our two countries last for only one year.  Under the new arrangement, student and exchange visas will be extended to five years; business and tourist visas will be extended to 10 years.  (Applause.)

Now, of course, that will be good for the businessmen who are going back and forth all the time.  But keep in mind, last year, 1.8 million Chinese visitors to the United States contributed $21 billion to our economy and supported more than 100,000 American jobs.  This agreement could help us more than quadruple those numbers.

I've heard from American business leaders about how valuable this step will be.  And we've worked hard to achieve this outcome because it clearly serves the mutual interest of both of our countries.  (Applause.)  So I'm proud that during my visit to China we will mark this important breakthrough, which will benefit our economies and bring our people together, and I’m pleased that President Xi has been a partner in getting this done –- very much appreciate his work on this.  (Applause.)

Now, deepening our economic ties is why I also hope to make progress with President Xi towards an ambitious, high-standard, bilateral investment treaty that opens up China’s economy to American investors -- an agreement that could unlock even more progress and more opportunity in both of our countries.  We’re also working together to put -- in pursuit of an international agreement on the ITA.  And we’ll speak directly and candidly, as we always do, about specific actions China can take to help all of us, across the Asia-Pacific, to expand trade and investment, which many of the CEOs I talk to raise in our discussions.

We look to China to create a more level playing field on which foreign companies are treated fairly so that they can compete fairly with Chinese companies; a playing field where competition policy promotes the welfare of consumers and doesn’t benefit just one set of companies over another.  We look to China to become an innovative economy that values the protection of intellectual property rights, and rejects cybertheft of trade secrets for commercial gain.  We look to China to approve biotechnology advances that are critical to feeding a growing planet on the same timeline as other countries, to move definitively toward a more market-determined exchange rate, and, yes, to stand up for human rights and freedom of the press.  And we don’t suggest these things because they’re good for us; we suggest that China do these things for the sake of sustainable growth in China, and the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.  And I look forward to discussing these issues, along with China’s concerns and ideas, with President Xi over the next few days.

Now even as America works to deepen our bilateral ties with China, we’re focused this week on deepening our ties with all the APEC economies, including reducing barriers to trade and investment, so that companies like yours can grow, create new jobs, and promote prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region. 

After all, Asia’s largest export market is the United States -- that benefits American consumers because it has led to more affordable goods and services.  Six of America’s top 10 export markets are APEC economies, and more than 60 percent of our exports –- over $1 trillion worth of goods and services -– are purchased by APEC economies.  That supports millions of American jobs.

So the work that APEC members have done together over the years has lowered tariffs, cut shipping costs, and made it cheaper, easier, and faster to do business – and that supports good jobs in all of our nations.  We’ve worked together to improve food security, encourage clean energy, promote education, and deliver disaster relief.  And all of this has made a difference. 

But we can always do more.  We can do more to reduce barriers to trade and economic growth.  Since 2006, we’ve worked together toward the ultimate goal of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, and APEC has shown a number of pathways that could make it a reality.  And one of those pathways is the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the United States and 11 other nations.  Once complete, this partnership will bring nearly 40 percent of the global economy under an agreement that means increased trade, greater investment, and more jobs for its member countries; a level playing field on which businesses can compete; high standards that protect workers, the environment, and intellectual property.  And I just met with several other members of the TPP who share my desire to make this agreement a reality, we’re going to keep on working to get it done.  For we believe that this is the model for trade in the 21st century.

Agreements like this will benefit our economies and our people.  But they also send a strong message that what’s important isn’t just whether our economies continue to grow, but how they grow; that what’s best for our people isn’t a race to the bottom, but a race to the top.  Obviously, ensuring the continued growth and stability of the Asia-Pacific requires more than a focus on growing trade and investment. 

Steady, sustainable growth requires making it easier for small businesses to access capital and new markets.  And when about one-third of small businesses in the region are run by women, then steady, sustainable growth requires every woman’s ability to fully participate in the economy.  That’s true in the United States and that’s true everywhere.

Steady, sustainable growth requires promoting policies and practices that keep the Internet open and accessible.

Steady, sustainable growth requires a planet where citizens can breathe clean air, and drink clean water, and eat safe food, and make a living fishing healthy oceans.

Steady, sustainable growth requires mobilizing the talents and resources of all our people –- regardless of gender, or religion, or color, or creed; offering them the opportunity to participate in open and transparent political and economic systems; where we cast a harsh light on bribery and corruption, and a well-deserved spotlight on those who strive to play by the rules.

Those are all some of the areas we’ll be focused on at APEC this week, and going forward.  And obviously every country is different –- no country is following the same model.  But there are things that bind us together, and despite our differences, we know there are certain standards and ideals that will benefit all people. 

We know that if given a choice, our young people would demand more access to the world’s information, not less.  We know that if allowed to organize, our workers would better -- demand working conditions that don’t injure them, that keep them safe; that they’re looking for stronger labor and environmental safeguards, not weaker.  We know that if given a voice, women wouldn’t say give us less; they’d speak up for more access to markets, more access to capital, more seats in our legislature and our boardrooms.

So these are all key issues in growth as well.  Sometimes we focus just on trade and investment and dollars and cents, but these things are important as well.  These ideals aren’t just topics for summits and state visits.  They’re touchstones of the world that we’re going to leave to our children.  The United States is not just here in Asia to check a box; we’re here because we believe our shared future is here in Asia, just as our shared past has been. 

We’re looking to a future where a worker in any of our countries can afford to provide for his family; where his daughter can go to school and start a business and have a fair shot at success; where fundamental rights are cherished, and protected, and not denied.  And that future is one where our success is defined less by armies and less by bureaucrats, and more by entrepreneurs, and innovators, by dreamers and doers, by business leaders who focus as much on the workers they empower as the prosperity that they create.  That’s future that we see.  That’s why we’re here.  It’s why we’ve worked so closely together these past several years.  And as long as I’m America’s President, I’m going to be invested in your success because I believe it is essential to our success as well. 

Thank you very much.  Xièxiè.

END
5:11 P.M. CST

Remarks by the President Before TPP Meeting

Beijing, China

1:17 P.M. CST

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I want to thank all my fellow peers and the trade ministers for joining us here today.  I know we all have very busy schedules, so I’m going to keep my remarks brief.

We’re here today because the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a high priority for our nations and for the region.  As President, strengthening American leadership in the Asia Pacific has been one of my top foreign policy priorities.  And central to that objective is working with some of our most important trading partners to find ways in which we can facilitate increased growth for all of us, increased investment for all of us, improve jobs prospects for all of us. 

And what we are seeing is momentum building around a Trans-Pacific Partnership that can spur greater economic growth, spur greater jobs growth, set high standards for trade and investment throughout the Asia Pacific.  And I don’t think I have to explain to the press why this region is so important.  This is the fastest-growing, most populous, most dynamic region in the world economically.

During the past few weeks, our teams have made good progress in resolving several outstanding issues regarding a potential agreement.  Today is an opportunity at the political level for us to break some remaining logjams.  To ensure that TPP is a success, we also have to make sure that all of our people back home understand the benefits for them -- that it means more trade, more good jobs, and higher incomes for people throughout the region, including the United States.  And that’s the case that I’ll continue to make to Congress and the American people.  And I know that the leaders here are committed to making that case as well.

This has the potential for being a historic achievement.  It’s now up to all of us to see if we can finalize a deal that is both ambitious and comprehensive.  The stronger the agreement, the greater the benefits to our people.

So to all my fellow leaders, I want to thank you not just for your participation here today but, more importantly, for the mandate that you have given to your negotiating teams to engage in some very serious work that promises to deliver greater prosperity, trade and commerce between our nations in the future.

Thank you very much.

END
1:19 P.M. CST