At the town hall meeting, Mr. Obama answered questions from the audience and submitted by the Chinese public on various Web sites, including Xinhuanet, Sohu and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
The Chinese government carefully controlled media coverage of the event, allowing it to be broadcast on local television but not nationally.
In opening remarks, Mr. Obama announced that the U.S. would expand the number of American students studying in China to 100,000.
US, China Must Cooperate
During the question and answer session, Mr. Obama said there are very few global challenges that can be solved unless the U.S. and China cooperate. He called climate change one of the most critical challenges and said the world will be watching what the U.S. and China do on the issue.
The president also said that universal rights of expression, religious freedom and free information should be available to everyone, including in China.
On the sensitive topic of Taiwan, Mr. Obama said the United States supports a one-China policy. He added that he hopes for improved China-Taiwan ties, and he said economic links had helped lower tensions across the Taiwan Strait. He did not answer a question about arms sales to Taiwan.
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