Gibbs threatens to leave climate meeting after Chinese block US press

[Gelgoog]

A scuffle broke out at the climate summit in Copenhagen on Friday when Chinese officials blocked US reporters from entering a room where President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao were to meet, with the White House press secretary threatening to pull out of the meeting if the American press was barred.

According to CNN, members of the Chinese media arrived before the American press contingent, and Chinese officials blocked the entrance to the room once the Chinese press were inside.

That angered White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who can be heard on video of the incident saying, "My guys have to get in just like your guys got in. This is a joint meeting, and my guys get in or we're leaving."

CNN's footage of the incident shows a chaotic scene in which Chinese officials can be seen blocking the camera crew from gaining access to the room. The officials can be heard repeating "No, no, no" as Gibbs argues with them.

Bloomberg news service reports that Premier Wen had "snubbed" Obama earlier in the day when the Chinese leader failed to show up to a meeting of world leaders. Obama and the premier met in private later on in the day. The two leaders then scheduled another meeting for Friday afternoon, and it was evidently at this meeting that the scuffle broke out.

so wtf is going in?

[mrmouth]

Just the Chinese doing what they do best...

Already the rest of the world is up our ass for what is perceived as a hollow agreement that Obama finally got the Chinese to get on board with, in the eleventh hour. The Chinese snubbed Obama once earlier in the day, after his comments were taken as being incendiary, which they were not one bit.

Essentially China was the only country that wouldn't sign the treaty. The US took the stance that we would not, if China did not. It led to a whole bunch of hard feelings, and the US is the only country anyone is criticizing, because what is the point in criticizing China? They simply deflect criticism, because they don't even acknowledge it.

The massive double standard in this world towards the US is getting really ing old. The rest of the world cries like small children when we suggested that any stimulus package, or auto subsidies (cash for clunkers) have a US first clause. Not US only, but US first.

A matter of months after China took the lead in that, they turned around and did the very same thing. And Japan is doing the same thing now with their car program. After US citizens put hundreds of millions in Japanese pockets through the car program here, Japan is forbidding any US autos from being purchased through their program.

[Thorn777]

The rest of the world cries like small children when we suggested that any stimulus package, or auto subsidies (cash for clunkers) have a US first clause. Not US only, but US first.

A matter of months after China took the lead in that, they turned around and did the very same thing. And Japan is doing the same thing now with their car program. After US citizens put hundreds of millions in Japanese pockets through the car program here, Japan is forbidding any US autos from being purchased through their program.

Well it was originally a German plan that you took over, and we we didnt have such a clause...but hey, we do many stupid stuff like all that green-energy craziness without the rest joining along.

I guess its the WW2 trauma...

[s.rwitt]

China can suck a fat dick. I'm glad Gibbs actually did something about it.

[Exarch]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[danzig]

Will be fun when TWC Chinese Defense Force pops its head in here and somehow tries to twist things. Interesting there is why exactly is there chinese security blocking a room in Copenhagen? I mean even US security service works with local enforcement with such things and pretty much limit themselves to direct protection of the president...so why are chinese there at all? It reeks of olympic torch thing with the chinese thugs acting like they were in China while in London. I really dont know why such behavior is tolerated.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Thought provoking contribution! +rep to you!

[Dr Zoidberg]

Will be fun when TWC Chinese Defense Force pops its head in here and somehow tries to twist things. Interesting there is why exactly is there chinese security blocking a room in Copenhagen? I mean even US security service works with local enforcement with such things and pretty much limit themselves to direct protection of the president...so why are chinese there at all? It reeks of olympic torch thing with the chinese thugs acting like they were in China while in London. I really dont know why such behavior is tolerated.

Not just the UK mate. Same thing happened here in Australia during the Torch relay. It me to tears watching Chinese security allowed to treat our citizens that way.

Closer to topic: A few months back, our PM met with a senior Chinese Minister at the Lodge (the PM's residence). Australian media wasn't even invited to the meeting! It was Chinese only. Most of Australia didn't know the meeting happened until after the fact. I believe it was part of the Chinese delegation's requirements for the meeting.

China continues to get away with this sort of belligerent crap because we all need them to buy our resources, and cheaply produce our consumer goods. Not to mention - mainly in the US's cases - that they own so much foreign currency. They'll keep saying jump and we'll keep saying how high.

[Exarch]

Not just the UK mate. Same thing happened here in Australia during the Torch relay. It me to tears watching Chinese security allowed to treat our citizens that way.

what way? where? how?

China continues to get away with this sort of belligerent crap because we all need them to buy our resources, and cheaply produce our consumer goods. Not to mention - mainly in the US's cases - that they own so much foreign currency. They'll keep saying jump and we'll keep saying how high.

in the meantime, australia continues to rake in loads of $$$-enough to keep us above water with the great recession-do i smell hypocrisy anyone?
yeh yeh, 'my beef aint with the chinese ppl it's with the chinese gov.' whilst you seem to be blind to the fact that 'it cuts both ways'

[Dr Zoidberg]

what way? where? how?

in the meantime, australia continues to rake in loads of $$$-enough to keep us above water with the great recession-do i smell hypocrisy anyone?
yeh yeh, 'my beef aint with the chinese ppl it's with the chinese gov.' whilst you seem to be blind to the fact that 'it cuts both ways'

You're missing the point Exarch. I've never denied thats its China's continual purchasing of our resources that kept us afloat.

However, the Chinese Government continues to demand that it be treated with the respect worthy of being in charge of the world's third largest economy and as an important & responsible player on the international stage. But, it continually plays stilly stunts like the one in the OP, and does not show other countries Government's the same respect and due diligence it demands. If you want to be treated with respect, then you have to start showing it. Cutting off one side's media to a JOINT-conference is not.

[Exarch]

You're missing the point Exarch. I've never denied thats its China's continual purchasing of our resources that kept us afloat.

However, the Chinese Government continues to demand that it be treated with the respect worthy of being in charge of the world's third largest economy and as an important & responsible player on the international stage. But, it continually plays stilly stunts like the one in the OP, and does not show other countries Government's the same respect and due diligence it demands. If you want to be treated with respect, then you have to start showing it. Cutting off one side's media to a JOINT-conference is not.

i dont see premier wen jiabao or president hu jintao demanding 'to be treated with the respect worthy of being in charge of the world's third largest economy and as an important & responsible player on the international stage' but i have read of pundits/journalists who interpret and assume this to be the attitude of modern china;
in my experience, the Chinese tend to prefer less overt posturing-on the one hand i agree media of all sorts should've been allowed inside the conference rooms-if they (US and China) wanted to make a less populist stance, they would've already negotiated something in the leadup to Copenhagen.

[s.rwitt]

Not really much of a conspiracy theory there Exarch. It was more of a (very correct) recognition of typical Chinese douche baggery, which for some reason is totally fine with pretty much the rest of the world.

[Thorn777]

Not really much of a conspiracy theory there Exarch. It was more of a (very correct) recognition of typical Chinese douche baggery, which for some reason is totally fine with pretty much the rest of the world.

In Germany/Europe we very much know about Chinese douche baggery, but also about our own and the American just as well.

I thought we evil whiteys run the show anyway, what happened to this place? Why couldn't we forget about the Chinese for a minute.

@Exarch

Guess why it became non-binding.

[Justinian]

We'll stop buying their cheap plastics and see how they like it

[mrmouth]

I actually admire the Chinese position very much. They are in a position where they get away with murder at home, and can pretty much thumb their nose at the rest of the world.

Thousand year old village standing in the way of a road, oops...bulldozed. And don't think about complaining...

They get done. But anyone thinking that they are, or will ever be a fair partner to the world, is sadly mistaken. The idea that they might even be in a position to become a super power sometime this century, should scare the out of people. They are in it for themselves. And again, I wish the US was more that way, most of the time.

Well it was originally a German plan that you took over, and we we didnt have such a clause...

I dont know exactly what you are trying to say here...

The Germans started the complaining, but it was deeper than that because we were at odds with Germany over other financial matters. China hopped on board the hate train, and quickly became lead caboose. But Germany has had protectionist measures in the past.

[Dr Zoidberg]

I actually admire the Chinese position very much. They are in a position where they get away with murder at home, and can pretty much thumb their nose at the rest of the world.

Thousand year old village standing in the way of a road, oops...bulldozed. And don't think about complaining...

They get done. But anyone thinking that they are, or will ever be a fair partner to the world, is sadly mistaken. The idea that they might even be in a position to become a super power sometime this century, should scare the out of people. They are in it for themselves. And again, I wish the US was more that way, most of the time.



I dont know exactly what you are trying to say here...

The Germans started the complaining, but it was deeper than that because we were at odds with Germany over other financial matters. China hopped on board the hate train, and quickly became lead caboose. But Germany has had protectionist measures in the past.

I'll take the US as an occasionally mis-guided but benevolent superpower as opposed to China's 'screw the rest of you' attitude any day.

[Exarch]

I'll take the US as an occasionally mis-guided but benevolent superpower as opposed to China's 'screw the rest of you' attitude any day.

beggin your pardon, but that seems to be our attitude to doing business with the chinese it seems
or at best, a whore who wont kiss her client: strictly business, no friendsies

[Dr Zoidberg]

beggin your pardon, but that seems to be our attitude to doing business with the chinese it seems
or at best, a whore who wont kiss her client: strictly business, no friendsies

Can you expand on what you mean please?

[Exarch]

Can you expand on what you mean please?

certainly,
part of the Australian national psyche, on top of ANZAC legend etc, has also been a phobia against asians from the north, either invading us or altering our 'quintessential anglo australian culture';
cutting to the chase, it means that even when prime ministers understood the need to do business with asian countries to stay rich, australians in general didnt want an influx of asians spoiling our good old 1950s 'strine society' or any sort of soft power asian influence over australia-no, we much preferred american power and interference in our politics-our last FTA which arse reamed our film industry and threatened our pharmaceutical benefits scheme got not so much.
but i digress,
on the matter of China and oz,
we want to do business with china, we want to get rich off the china train, but we dont want anything else to change in our society which is nigh on impossible in a changing world especially after the abolition of the white australia policy and a current policy on multiculturalism.
brb

clearly...
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE4AK1J220081121

threatening doesnt mean China was some starving 3rd world country as you put it here-you compared india to china and assumed that india's hunger rate wasnt as bad as china's
srsly, trawl through your posts and find it again; the sheer level of fairytale fantasy land you were in made me wonder if you'd referenced 'the neverending story' as your key source.

also, australia is constantly threatened by drought, hence we have water restrictions, but does that mean we're going to go into full blown anarchy over it?

[Thorn777]

I dont know exactly what you are trying to say here...

The Germans started the complaining, but it was deeper than that because we were at odds with Germany over other financial matters. China hopped on board the hate train, and quickly became lead caboose. But Germany has had protectionist measures in the past.

Exactly what it says.

In fact Germany and the EU, but the US just as well has many protectionist measures, but this cash for clunkers program was only one among many to jump-start consumption in the midst of the crisis, while the tone of the day was to stay away as much as possible from protectionist measures to prevent a further downward spiral in our interchained world economy.

Its just cheap to call it all complaining, especially when we ourselves didnt involve ourselves in such. Note that not even I am complaining, I'm just calling a spade a spade.

@Exarch

@topic
it should perhaps be noted that the EU was only able to reach its emissions target quite by accident:the recession contributed

Not at all. Our vast industries and consuming households still populate as hell, crisis or no crisis. It just happens we have a long history of measures already in place, and especially a long history of breaking down and building up the even heavier polluting east-European industries.

Thats why Russia doesn't have a real problem either.

[mrmouth]

We are like a big retarded child, but we mean well. And we love us some Aussies.