China vs. U.S. media at rare new conference
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Beijing (CNN) -- In a rare, joint news conference with the global news media inside the heart of Beijing, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged cooperation on a range of common interests as they concluded an unusually colorful economic summit.
Asked about anti-American rhetoric in Chinese state-run media which accused the United States of backing recent democracy protests in Hong Kong, Obama brushed off the criticism as "part of being a public official."
"The United States had no involvement in fostering the protests that took place there," Obama insisted.
Xi appeared to grimace when asked by New York Times reporter Mark Landler about international press access in China and whether he viewed Obama's "pivot" to Asia as an authentic component of U.S. foreign policy.
In a sign of clear annoyance with the setting, Xi initially did not answer the question and moved to hear instead from a Chinese reporter. In response, Xi appeared at times to read a prepared statement.
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"We don't see eye to eye on every issue. Both sides should respect each other's core interests," Xi said, adding the two nations should manage their differences respectfully.
Xi, however, went on to take note of international criticism of China's human rights record.
"China has made enormous progress in its human rights. That is a fact," Xi said, conceding that his nation's work in that area is not "mission accomplished."
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China vs. U.S. media at rare new conference