Chinese Students’ Hopes for Obama’s Visit to China

As President Barack Obama continues his first tour of Southeast Asia, Chinese-American college students are eager to see what will come of Obama’s trip to China.  Obama arrived in Shanghai on Sunday. ABC News on Campus asked Chinese students in the U.S. about their hopes for the president's first visit.
Andrew Lu, 20, from Mooresville, N.C., is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He said he hopes the two countries will collaborate on working toward a more sustainable global society.
“Both countries should go into this conversation realizing that they have the biggest impact on the environment,” Lu said.  “I think both China and the United States need to be more aggressive in talks about environmental issues than they are now.”
  David Meng, 21, from Scottsdale, Ariz., is a senior at Arizona State University. He says the trip is an important step in recognizing China’s clout in the global community.
“I'm a finance and economics major so I definitely feel it's important for him to go over there and establish ties, especially with the way things are looking right now,” Meng said. “China has been a rising super power and may one day be on the same level as the U.S. I think this trip will be a good indicator of how Obama might deal with that."
Many Chinese students say they are pleased by the trip simply because Obama is acknowledging the potential impact China can have on environmental and economic global issues.
Peter Sheng, 20, from Raleigh, N.C., is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He says he has a vested interest in the relationship between the two countries because he identifies with both nations.
“As a Chinese immigrant to America, I am very excited about Obama's first official visit to China,” Sheng said. “It's great to see Obama recognizing China as a rising superpower and seeking its cooperation on global issues. This type of dialogue between China and the U.S. can only improve relations between the two nations.”
  Sheng isn’t the only student hoping for more cooperation and collaboration between the U.S. and China. William Ong, 23, a senior at Arizona State University from Phoenix, Ariz., also shares that sentiment. He said he believes Obama’s trip will bring to light serious issues that many American citizens aren’t giving that much thought too.
“A lot of Americans still aren't aware of how fast China is moving and growing in this world,” Ong said. “President Obama going over there to discuss issues as important as global warming and North Korean weapons is a big deal.”
Ong said Obama’s trip will not only affect citizens of both China and America but also will have a positive impact on the rest of the world.
“I don't really look at this from an American or Chinese standpoint,” Ong said. “I look at it from a global standpoint and I think this trip is a good thing.”
– Written and compiled by ABC News on Campus reporters Maxine Park and Lauren McGaha