By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven, Ap White House Correspondent

–
20 mins ago

SHANGHAI – Pressing for freedoms on China’s own turf, President Barack Obama said Monday that individual expression is not an American ideal but a universal right that should be available to all.

In his first presidential trip to Asia, Obama lauded cooperative relations with China but sought to send a clear message to his tightly controlled host country. Just as Obama said few problems can be solved unless U.S. and China work together, he prodded China to accept what he called “universal rights.”

“We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation,” Obama said at a town hall at a museum here, believed to be the first such forum held by a U.S. president on Chinese soil. “But we also don’t believe that the principles that we stand for our unique to our nation.”

He added: “These freedoms of expression, and worship, of access to information and political participation — we believe they are universal rights. They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities, whether they are in the United States, China or any nation.”

Obama sought to find a political balance with China, addressing long-standing U.S. concerns about human rights but extending his hand to a critically important partner on economic and security matters.

“More is gained when great powers cooperate than when they collide,” he said in his opening statement.

In one form or another, though, the theme of free expression kept emerging.

“I’m a big supporter of non-censorship,” Obama said in the course of answering one question about Internet usage.

With a smile, Obama said he has never used the popular social networking site Twitter. But he broadly defended unrestricted Internet access as “a source of strength.” And he said the free flow of information, including criticisms of his presidency, has helped by forcing him to consider other opinions.

One student asked him about the honor and burden of winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He said he is a symbol of the shift in world affairs that his administration is trying to promote, but reiterated that he didn’t think he had deserved the award.

Obama said there are few global challenges that can be solved unless the U.S. and China cooperate.

As nations prepare for next month’s climate change conference in Copenhagen, Obama said leaders will be watching what the U.S. and China do. He says “that is the burden of leadership that both of our countries now carry.”