Washington: The United States has no problem with China if it plays by the same set of rules that other major economic powers play and provides a level playing field to American companies, the White House has said.
The statement came in the backdrop of US President Barack Obama signing a legislation yesterday to enforce US trade rights with China and level the playing field for American businesses and workers.
Obama also warned Beijing yesterday against its alleged unfair export restrictions on rare earths. "That is part of the ongoing effort to make sure that the Chinese understand... that they need to compete on a level playing field. If they do then we have no problem with that.
We certainly feel that given that opportunity, our workers, our businesses will be highly competitive," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters at his daily news conference.
Carney said the US President is committed to ensuring that America`s workers and businesses compete on a level playing field with competitors around the globe.
"In this case China is extremely firm and has been since he took office. And I think that`s evidenced by the series of actions that we`ve taken with regards to China specifically, but also with regards to other countries when it comes to trade fairness," he noted.
Rare earth, the press secretary said, are important materials because they`re the materials that are essential to technologies like cellular phones and hybrid vehicles and advanced batteries.
These are markets and technologies and industries that the United States of America needs to dominate in the 21st century if the US is going to succeed and have an economy built to last, he argued.
Carney said the Obama Administration is focused on a very important relationship with China. "The President believes, we believe that China`s rise is a good thing for the Chinese people and for the global community, a good thing for the United States," he said. "It is also important that as China becomes a bigger and bigger economic power, that China play by the same set of rules that other major economic powers play by. That`s the approach the President has taken. It`s not one or the other; it`s both.
"It`s absolute engagement and it`s a very important and complex relationship on a whole host of issues. It also, when we have differences, as we do on this matter, making them clear and taking action on them," Carney said in response to a question.
PTI