Obama and China: Trying to play well with a close ‘frenemy’

Meanwhile, the White House said that Xi would be hosted at the White House for a state dinner on Sept 25.

15) that an unnamed US official and another person “briefed on the White House’s thinking” confirmed that sanctions would not be levied.

There will be no US sanctions against Chinese companies and other entities as punishment for “economic cyberattacks” imposed ahead of a planned USA visit next week by President Xi Jinping.

China, which has more restrictions on foreign investment than the United States, is in talks with Washington to reduce the scope of so-called negative lists of sectors closed to the other side’s investors.

“But there is an agreement, and there are not going to be any sanctions” before the Chinese leader lands in Washington on September 24, the official said.

Despite the pomp and circumstance afforded to China’s leader, the U.S.-China relationship has become increasingly strained over massive cyber hacks hacking and military maneuvers in the contested South China Sea.

A report this week by the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and worldwide Studies (CSIS) pointed to satellite photos that suggest China has built a third airstrip on the man-made islands. Rubio is a U.S. Republican presidential candidate for next year’s election.

China’s President Xi Jinping, center right, shakes hands with a veteran during a medals award ceremony to honor veterans of World War II and their family members, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday, September 2, 2015.

Many in the US are waiting to hear what Xi will say about a series of cyber attacks against American government agencies, including the theft of personal data from millions of current and former public workers.

But for now, sanctions are not on the table after an unannounced set of meetings between Chinese and U.S. officials worked out at least the framework for some sort of cooperation on cybersecurity issues. It is possible that Xi has chosen to begin the first leg of his trip in Seattle because of the anticipation of an unfavorable political climate in Washington, as Republican candidates are calling his name and Democratic senators are pressing on human rights issues.

“With the China-US relations go deeper, there may be more issues and challenges to handle”.