Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama intends to discuss freedom of expression, rule of law and Tibet with Chinese President Hu Jintao during their meeting in Beijing next week, a senior White House official said.

The president will raise human rights concerns “directly with President Hu,” Jeffrey Bader, National Security Council senior director for East Asian affairs, said yesterday.

Human rights campaigners have criticized Obama for declining to meet with the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan spiritual leader was in Washington in October to receive a congressional human rights award. White House adviser Valerie Jarrett in September said Obama would meet with the Dalai Lama after the president’s trip this month to Asia, a commitment Bader reiterated.

Obama’s eight days in Asia include stops in Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai and Seoul, as well as Beijing, where he is to have dinner with Hu on Nov. 16 and meet with him the next day. The Chinese plan to hold a state dinner for Obama Nov. 17.

“I wouldn’t want to forecast exactly what he would say at this stage, but the kinds of issues that are on our minds are issues of freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of religion, rule of law, and certainly Tibet,” Bader said.

Bader made the comments during a telephone conference call yesterday with reporters about Obama’s first trip to Asia as president, which begins Nov. 12.

Currency Issues

Obama yesterday said he will also bring up currency issues when he meets with Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing.

“Currency, along with a host of other issues, will come up, and I’m confident that both the United States and China can arrive at a broad set of policies that encourages trade that benefits both countries, that allows onsoing economic growth,” Obama said in an interview with Reuters.

The president also rejected criticism that he is giving short shrift to human rights.

“I don’t find the critics credible,” he told Reuters. “If you look at my statements, they have been entirely consistent. We believe in the values of freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, that are not just core American values but we believe are universal values.”

China has criticized states that allow visits by the Dalai Lama, who the Beijing government regards as a separatist.

To contact the reporter on this story: Edwin Chen in Washington at EChen32@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 9, 2009 22:00 EST