China: Reporter steps up to Obama and asks for trouble · Global Voices
John Kennedy

What happens when Asians suddenly aren't quiet and agreeable? If China needs to earn respect as a responsible world power, when it comes to getting what they want, should its men and women ask politely, demand assertively, or join the army to go protect the country's economic and political interests around the world?
We find something of an answer in Rui Chenggang, the face of Capitalist China and CCTV anchor who created an enormous stir this week after he stepped forward to ask American president Obama a question when Korean reporters wouldn't, ostensibly what any reporter should have done, in what otherwise might have been a press conference cut too short.
Rui Chenggang at the Obama press conference in Korea
Party paper Southern Daily ran an editorial calling Rui “the greatest obstacle to China's rise” [zh] (‘well then who else is supposed to give it momentum?’, quips one reader), but then early bridge blogger Isaac Mao also mentions that:
大家不要误以为西方也都笑话芮成钢，他其实是耶鲁的座上宾，也经常被一些西方组织认为是中国的未来希望
Here's the video of the exchange between Rui and Obama:
In his own defense, Rui has written on his Sina blog that things off-camera weren't exactly as has been reported, translated here by Roland Soong at EastSouthWestNorth:
This was the fifth time that I have seen Obama.  In order to bring the proceedings to a close, as well as seizing the opportunity to have emerging countries have a say, I raised my hand from the first row and I stood up.  I reminded him that I am from China.  He waited a little bit longer but still no Korean reporter raised a hand.  So we began to talk.  Afterwards a white reporter who claims to be working in Korea raised his hand and asked a question.  So Obama's gesture towards Korea was finally accepted.
American president Obama laughing nervously
The atmosphere at the scene was quite light-hearted.  People were humorous.  G20 was being held in Asia for the first time, and also the first time outside the eight developed countries.  It would be regrettable if the American President's press conference did not have any voice from Asia.  I wanted to see the interaction with the Korean reporters too but nobody was talking.  No authentic Korean reporters raised their hands.  We Asian reporters may be very professional in our work, but we are somewhat shy compared to our American and European colleagues.
Actually, it is no big deal to ask an American president a question.  Obama faces various kinds of challenges, even verbal attacks, on a daily basis.  This is part of his job.  However, he deals mostly with American media.  In Asian countries (including Japan), there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of soft power, international communication and influence as compared to the developed nations.  The top-level international news conferences are frequently hosted and dominated by American and European media.  But things are changing now, as we in Asia (especially the Chinese media workers) are rapidly internationalizing.  I have sensed this strongly while crossing the globe over the last couple of years.  Our support comes from our rising national power in these times.
Note in the video how Obama initially mistakes Rui for a Korean reporter? In situations like these, asks Sina blogger Wang Luzhi, now studying in the US, who's really representing who?:
结合芮成钢的采访，“他走前停下来时，我第一个举手，后来他说韩国媒体，我又把手放下。结果全场一片沉默，每隔一秒，就多一秒尴尬。后来，奥巴马和我有一个眼神交流。他的意思是，你刚才不是举手了？很短的一瞬间。我想奥巴马也没见过这阵势。他把目光放在我身上。”
哪里出问题了么？
1、现场大多是西方尤其是美国记者。在美国看总统在国外的新闻，多半只能看到美国记者为自己总统，大概他们也有需要和谐的内容。芮成钢说represent亚洲，有这种场合的背景。我在学校里也有时被代表亚洲，因为美国人基本分不出中日韩国人的区别，有课程讨论就会说一句，亚洲的代表也说一下观点。何况依前面视频来看，他即是凭记者的直觉抢新闻，也是缓解一个冷场，基本的礼节并没有失。说到代表亚洲，是因为奥巴马的设问有前提。
2、中国追求没有规矩不成方圆，而有了规矩，也就必定陷于方圆之内。西方追求show out，说了也许说错，不说永远没有人意识到你的存在。如果所有人都是循规蹈矩，其实倒也无伤大雅。但两种价值观碰撞时，后者的强势沟通会让前者阵线溃败。我们想：这不合礼法。人家想：这高效直接有成果。亚洲记者普遍腼腆，因为新闻发布会本就是西方发明的，亚洲是皇帝宣旨众人听。
3、芮成钢这一代，我们这一代，年轻人时钟在接触世界，不断成长。我们越接近西方，越渴望文化的复兴。在国外被当成日本人并不是开心的事，确实经常发生的事。向世界发出声音，我个人欣赏他。
一些激动情绪，我想大家都能理解吧。我们被代表怕了。但是，断章取义更可怕。
Also check out this hilarious parody interview from 2008 with Rui and American comedian Rob Riggle: