US President Barack Obama wrapped up his first visit to China Wednesday with a private tour of the Great Wall, saying he had gained some perspective from seeing the “spectacular” ancient structure. Obama walked along the Badaling section of the wall outside Beijing under tight security in wintry temperatures following a working lunch with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. “It's a reminder of the ancient history of the Chinese people,” Obama said of the structure meant to keep foreign invaders out of the country. “It gives you a good perspective on a lot of the day-to-day things. They don't amount to much in the scope of history,” he said, calling the site “spectacular”. Obama was accompanied on his nearly half-hour walk by US Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, China's ambassador to the US, Zhou Wenzhong, and other officials. During the tour, Obama was asked if the cold temperatures reminded him of his hometown of Chicago. The first parts of the Great Wall were built more than 2,000 years ago, then rebuilt and extended during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644 AD) due to the threat of invading northern tribes. He also took time out of his busy diplomatic schedule in China to meet with his half-brother, who lives in the southern part of the country - but only for five minutes.
