Obama Ribs New York Times Reporter for Asking Multiple Questions of Chinese President

Obama Ribs New York Times Reporter for Asking Multiple Questions of Chinese President

When traveling overseas with President Obama, reporters have little to cover other than the carefully choreographed international events like the APEC summit currently taking place in China.

That’s why, when New York Times reporter Mark Landler had the chance to ask a question during a press conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Obama, he took full advantage of the situation and asked both presidents multiple questions. 

“Come on, Mark,” Obama said with a grin, encouraging Landler to wrap it up as he began an additional question to the Chinese president about restricting resident permits for foreign reporters in China.

“I’m not sure I remember the question,” Obama replied after Landler finished, adding that he was only “teasing.”

“First of all, with respect to press attitudes towards America or me in particular, I am always working on the assumption that the press giving me a hard time is true wherever I go, whether in the United States or China,” Obama replied. “That’s part of being a public official.”

President Xi appeared to ignore the question about press access, prompting Obama to glance quizzically in his direction.

As the press conference drew to a close, the Chinese president answered the question, pointing out that media outlets needed “to obey China’s laws and regulations.”

“In Chinese, we have a saying: The party which has created a problem should be the one to help resolve it,” he said.

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