John Kerry's China tightrope

• "History is full of opposing nations, nations that are competitors and potentially adversaries coming together around things that are imperative," he said.
• "We will continue to try to address critical issues between us regarding trade, regarding theft of intellectual property, regarding access to market."
• And in remarks to NPR, Kerry said he will talk to China about their financing of coal-fired power in other nations, but in a way that "doesn't force people into a corner to hunker down and head towards conflict."

Where it stands: Elsewhere, Kerry tells NPR that he's begun discussions with energy companies, albeit with constraints.

"I'm reaching out to them because I want to hear from them right now. We have to wait till January 20th before we engage substantively promoting any policy," he said.