Gabbal Posted April 20, 2006 China's Hu in Seattle for first stop of key US visit Wed Apr 19, 4:43 AM ET SEATTLE, United States (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao received a celebrity welcome in Seattle at the start of his first official US visit, pledging to step up IPR protection and using the stop to show that China can be a good trade partner. Although trade disputes are expected to hover over Hu's four-day US visit, in Seattle the 63-year-old leader of the world's most populous country and his wife Liu Yongqing were warmly greeted by a state which has booming trade, including a surplus, with China. Members of a local multiracial kung-fu club drummed and danced Chinese dragon and lion dances upon Hu's arrival, while a delegation including Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, Senator Maria Cantwell, and Boeing's president Alan Mulally greeted him. Hu said Seattle and Washington state were "important American gateways to China." "I'm very happy," Hu told reporters after shaking hands with the welcoming crowd. "I hope my visit ... will strengthen dialogue, deepen cooperation." He was wined and dined Tuesday evening at the home of the world's richest man, Microsoft's Bill Gates, in a 100-seat dinner hosted by Gregoire. Prior to that, Hu was given a tour of Microsoft's Home of the Future, a model of the type of high-tech home the company envisions will be used in five to 10 years. Following the tour, Hu said it "left a strong impression" on him, praising Microsoft for its innovative spirit. He called Bill Gates "a friend of China," and himself "a friend of Microsoft." Hu also pledged to better protect intellectual property rights, a key trade dispute between China and the US, with the US accusing China of not doing enough to stop rampant piracy of software, movies and many other US products. "Regarding intellectual property rights protection, it's not only needed by China as it expands its opening to the outside world, and improves the investment environment, it is also needed as we strengthen our innovation ability," Hu said. "We have already toughened protection of intellectual property rights through laws. In the future, we will seriously keep our promise." On Wednesday, Hu will be taken on a tour of The Boeing Company's Everett plant. Starting his visit in Seattle and its two biggest exporters Boeing and Microsoft appears to be an attempt by Hu to show the United States that trading with China also helps Americans. Boeing has benefitted from China's numerous purchases of its aircrafts in recent years, which accounted for much of the trade, including a deal for 80 passenger jets worth 4.6 billion dollars this month. Microsoft looks set to reap the rewards of a new rule that requires all new computers made and sold in China to be pre-installed with authentic software to prevent piracy. It signed a major deal Monday with China's best-selling PC maker Lenovo in which Lenovo will spend 1.2 billion dollars to buy and pre-install Microsoft software. Much of Microsoft software currently used in China is pirated. A Chinese foreign ministry official, Hong Lei told reporters Tuesday Gates and Hu oversaw the signing of an agreement which will guarantee Chinese government offices use authentic Microsoft software, but details were not given. Two-way trade between China and Washington state in 2004 grew 400 percent from 2000, reaching 20.3 billion dollars, making China Washington state's third largest trade partner after Japan and Canada, said Sam Kaplan, vice president of the Seattle Trade Development Alliance. "If current projections continue, China will eventually be our number one trade partner," said Kaplan. Despite the warm welcome, Hu also got an early taste in Seattle of the protests which are expected to follow his tour. Groups lined up with large banners and bullhorns outside Hu's hotel and the Microsoft compound to air grievances over China's policies towards Tibet, Taiwan, the banned Falungong spiritual movement, the pro-democracy movement and suppression of free speech on the Internet. "Bill and Hu, Free the Web," said one sign on the Microsoft campus. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said neither Gates or anyone else who met with Hu Tuesday raised the issues of internet censorship or jailed dissidents. Hu travels to Washington, the US capital, Wednesday for a summit with President George W. Bush Thursday expected to focus on trade disputes, including China's currency, piracy, and insufficient market access for US firms. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabbal Posted April 20, 2006 People wave American and Chinese flags as China's President Hu Jintao leaves Paine Field, in Everett, Wash., Tuesday, April 18, 2006. Hu planned to kick off his U.S. trip by meeting with Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and other Seattle business leaders later in the day, part of a two-day whirlwind Washington state visit that will also include a stop at Boeing Co. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, left, meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the first day of President Hu's visit to the United States, in Seattle Tuesday, April 18, 2006. Hu will also meet with Bill Gates of Microsoft and tour Boeing in his two-day visit to the Seattle area that is part of his four-day U.S. tour. (L-R) Former Secretary of Defense William Perry, former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger look on during a meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and China scholars and academics from the Center of Strategic and International Studies, in Seattle April 19, 2006 Chinese President Hu Jintao ® listens to Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates during Hu's visit to Microsoft headquarters. Chinese President Hu Jintao, center, is aided by a translator as he talks with Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, right, and Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, at the head table Tuesday,April 18, 2006, at a dinner in Hu's honor held at Gates' home in the Seattle suburb of Medina, Wash. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, right, flanked by Mark Emmert, President of the University of Washington, center, and Steve Hill, Director of the Washington Dept. of Health, left, talks at a news conference after her meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the first day of President Hu's visit to the United States, in Seattle Tuesday, April 18, 2006. Hu will also meet with Bill Gates of Microsoft and tour Boeing in his two-day visit to the Seattle area that is part of his four-day U.S. tour. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
codetalker Posted April 20, 2006 Let's see if President Hu is still smiling after talking to President Bush. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabbal Posted April 20, 2006 ^Ninyahow I actually met the guy and even though he seemed a very humble, diplomatic guy you could tell he was not a guy to be bullied easily. I don't believe he would be taking shitt from Dubya (pardon the pun). Also I have admire the Chinese for their political shrewdness. By coming to Seattle and signing back-to-back trade agreements promising Chinese investment and buying from Boeing and Microsoft, they want to go to Bush and say "hey, there is a large trade deficit between our nations, and you do owe us alot of money, but we are willing to spend that money on your country and help your economy". I bet Hue is saying that right now to Dubya in the West Wing. A+ for the Chinese on political shrewdness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
