Great Wall signifies 'sweep of history', US president claims

Standing alone in the chilly wind in front of the winding Great Wall with hands jammed into his pockets, US President Barack Obama enjoyed a moment of peace after wrapping up his four-day tightly scheduled visit to China yesterday afternoon.

"It's magical. It reminds you of the sweep of history," Obama said to the press after he walked back to the crowd. He then went to the sidewall to enjoy more of the view of the Chinese architectural wonder.

"It gives you a good perspective that a lot of day-to-day things we worry about don't matter so much Our time here on Earth is not that long. We better make the best of it," Obama said.