Obama welcomes China as a "strong, prosperous and successful" nation

SHANGHAI, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. President Barack Obama said here Monday the United States does not seek to contain China's rise and he welcomes China to be a "strong and prosperous and successful member of the community of nations."

U.S. President Barack Obama gestures as he delivers a speech at a dialogue with Chinese youth at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum during his four-day state visit to China, Nov. 16, 2009. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)

Obama made the remarks during a dialogue with Chinese youths in China's economic hub Shanghai.

He said the world is fundamentally interconnected and power in the 21st century is no long a zero-sum game.

"The jobs we do, the prosperity we build, the environment we protect and the security we seek are all shared, " he said. "One country's success does not come at the expense of another."

He arrived in Shanghai late on Sunday and met city officials Monday morning before his meeting with young Chinese.

He will head to Beijing Monday afternoon.