President Obama's remarks at the Business Roundtable on Wednesday and the Q&A with CEOs that followed offered a long list of topics for the media to report on: The economy and budget showdown, China and the upcoming U.S. trip of President Xi Jinping, cybersecurity, trade and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, energy policy and ozone regulation, immigration and education. The full transcript is available at the White House website here, and CSPAN has video.

We've rounded up news coverage below.

Budget, Economy, Tax Reform

Associated Press, "Obama: Avoid budget showdown":

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama urged Congress on Wednesday to avoid another contentious budget showdown and warned that the economy would take a hit if the government shuts down again...

 

Obama used his speech to members of the Business Roundtable to turn up the pressure on lawmakers to reach a budget agreement. He also pointed to a potential revenue source to pay for some of the increased investments he wants in infrastructure, education and scientific research - taxing so-called "carried interest" as ordinary income rather than as a capital gain, which is taxed at a lower rate.

• Dow-Jones Business News, "Obama Urges Lawmakers to Avert Government Shutdown"
• International Business Times, "Obama Pushes Repeal Of Carried Interest Tax Loophole Ahead Of Looming Budget Showdown With Congressional Republicans"
• Bloomberg Politics, "Obama Renews Carried Interest Tax Fight With Republican Help"

Trans-Pacific Partnership

AFP, "Obama says Pacific trade deal can be struck 'this year'":

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday expressed optimism that a vast Pacific trade deal can be reached before the end of the year, despite disputes over rules for key sectors.

Discussing a 12-country pact that brings together large and growing economies as diverse as the United States, Japan and Vietnam, Obama told business leaders, "I have confidence we can get it done and I believe we can get it done this year."

 

"Trade ministers should be meeting again sometime in the next several weeks, they have the opportunity to close the deal," Obama said.

• Reuters, "Obama upbeat on prospects for Pacific trade deal"
• Xinhuanet.com, "Obama expects to complete Asia-Pacific trade deal this year"

China, Cybersecurity

Wall Street Journal, "Obama Vows to Press China on Computer Attacks"

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama said Wednesday he was readying “a number of measures” to pressure Chinese leaders to stop hackers from stealing corporate secrets from U.S. companies, a threat he plans to press when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week.

 

Mr. Obama, speaking to corporate leaders at the Business Roundtable, a group of chief executives of large companies, said “this will probably be one of the biggest topics I discuss with President Xi.”

• USA Today, "In speech to CEOs, Obama threatens China with retaliation over hacking"
• Financial Times, "Obama warns China of cyber retaliation"
• The Hill, "Obama says he's prepared to retaliate against China"
• Reuters, "Obama warns China on cyber spying ahead of Xi visit"

Cuba

• Voice of America, "Obama Advocates a ‘Step by Step’ Approach With Cuba"
• EFE, "Obama urges U.S. businessmen to exert pressure for lifting Cuba embargo"
• Martinoticias.com, "Obama pide a empresarios ayuda para levantar el embargo a Cuba"