US president Barack Obama continued courting China in talks with Premier Wen Jiabao earlier today.
Mr Obama's first trip to China has been a mix of goodwill displays towards its sometimes wary people and leaders and closed-door discussions focussed on the two big powers' vast and increasingly complex relationship.
Today, Mr Obama held talks with Mr Wen and then visited the Great Wall, for Chinese people a proud symbol of their imperial heritage. He is heading for South Korea next.
The meeting with Mr Wen, the head of the Chinese government, gave Mr Obama a chance to raise touchy economic and diplomatic issues behind closed doors. But in their opening remarks before reporters, at least, both leaders stuck to upbeat phrases.
In their opening remarks before reporters, at least, both leaders stuck to friendly words. "Mutual trust will help us move forward, while misgivings will take us back," said Mr Wen.
After the talks with Mr Wen, Mr Obama visited the Great Wall, for Chinese people a proud symbol of their heritage. He is then scheduled to leave for South Korea.
The US president already made plain in a summit with President Hu Jintao yesterday he wants movement on China's currency policy. Many in Washington believe Beijing keeps the yuan too low in value, putting competitors at a disadvantage and distorting global economic flows.
Mr Hu, who is also the head of China's Communist Party, avoided mentioning the yuan or the dollar in his comments before reporters.
But Mr Wen, who is more deeply involved in day-to-day economic affairs, may have been more willing to grapple with Mr Obama on currency and China's own gripes with US trade rules.
Chinese state media praised Mr Obama today for helping ease fears of China's rising strength, setting a guardedly upbeat tone at the end of a visit, despite rifts over trade and currency policy.
The praise, coupled with warnings for Mr Obama, came from the state news agency Xinhua at the end of the four-day trip.
Reuters