Demonstrators Mass for Bush - Hu Meeting

[cal04]

While President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao hoped their discussions inside the White House would cool tensions over a yawning U.S.-China trade gap, demonstrators massed outside Thursday to protest Beijing's human rights policies. The talks between Bush and Hu, who was visiting the Washington for the first time as China's leader, were expected to produce little in the way of substance on the trade dispute and no breakthroughs on the major irritant -- China's tightly controlled currency.

After two days spent wooing American business leaders in Washington state, Hu arrived Wednesday night in Washington for the half-day summit for what were expected to be frank discussions about America's $202 billion trade deficit with China, the biggest ever recorded with a single country. That imbalance has spurred calls in Congress to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese products unless China halts trade practices that critics contend are unfair and have contributed to the loss of nearly 3 million U.S. manufacturing jobs since 2001.

The visit attracted high-profile attention both inside and outside the White House gates. The spiritual movement Falun Gong, condemned by the Chinese government as an evil cult, gathered hundreds of demonstrators on street corners near the White House in the early morning. Marchers banged gongs, chanted and waved American and Chinese flags. Banners denounced Hu as a ''Chinese dictator'' responsible for genocide and other ''crimes in Chinese labor camps and prisons.''

The Chinese government had its say as well. In a median in front of the Chinese embassy, the Falun Gong protesters that are nearly always there had been replaced by Chinese supporters holding huge red-and-yellow banners offering to ''warmly welcome'' Hu on his American visit.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Hu-Visit.html

[NVMojo]

1. America, land of hypocrisy.

[cal04]

2. Welcome for Chinese Leader Is Interrupted by Heckler

(snip)
No sooner had Mr. Hu taken the microphone at a podium set up on the lawn to express his intention to promote bilateral ties with the United States, a woman, who appeared to be Chinese, shouted repeatedly across the lawn from a position among the crowd of journalists that had been cordoned off to cover the White House visit.

Mr. Hu looked at first confused and then hesitated before continuing to speak.

"You're okay," Mr. Bush said to him in a low voice, prodding him on.

The woman, who appeared slightly disheveled and was shouting in a hoarse voice, was led away by security officials after at least a minute. Photographers turned their lenses away from the two leaders and pointed their cameras at the woman as Mr. Hu continued his speech.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/world/asia/20cnd-hu.html?hp&ex=1145592000&en=2285acd0977fe787&ei=5094&partner=homepage

I wonder if she has family in China

[ShockediSay]

3. Jay Leno last night ...

President Hu ... and

President Huhhh???