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Chinese Leader Wraps Up US Visit

22 January 2011 04:41 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Chinese President Hu Jintao has finished a four-day state visit to the United States during which he worked to expand economic ties while also facing questions on human rights, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.
Mr. Hu wrapped up his visit Friday meeting with business leaders at a Chinese-owned auto parts plant in the midwestern U.S. city of Chicago.
Chicago’s mayor, Richard Daley, has been working to attract Chinese-based businesses to his city and welcomed Mr. Hu a day earlier with a formal dinner.
President Hu also spent two days in Washington, D.C. where he was greeted with pomp and ceremony, despite protests by activists and some lawmakers over China’s human rights record.
The lavish welcome was a change from the more pared down reception he received five years ago from then-president George W. Bush.
Still, three top Congressional leaders declined to attend the state dinner held in Mr. Hu’s honor at the White House.
U.S. lawmakers have been critical of China’s human rights record and are also angry about China’s currency and economic policies, which many believe are taking away American manufacturing jobs. Legislation has been introduced in Congress calling for tariffs on Chinese imports if Beijing continues to keep the value of its currency artificially low.
U.S. President Barack Obama told workers at a General Electric plant in New York Friday that trade with China should be a two-way â€” not one-way â€” arrangement.
He met with Mr. Hu on Tuesday and Wednesday. The two presidents signed new trade deals and discussed other pressing issues, including North Korea and human rights. At a news conference with Mr. Obama on Wednesday, Mr. Hu conceded that China has â€œa lotâ€ to do to improve human rights.
President Hu met with leaders of the U.S. House and Senate on Thursday and also spoke to U.S. business executives in Washington.