Chinese President Hu Jintao stressed the need for the U.S. and China to continue to cooperate with one another, adding the two nations should “treat each other as equals.” He spoke at a luncheon today hosted by the U.S.-China Business Council and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
Maintaining that his country’s rapid growth in the last decade was beneficial to the global economy, President Hu said that China should not be viewed as a threat but as a partner.
This was his only public policy address during his visit to Washington, D.C. The Chinese president has scheduled meetings tomorrow with American business leaders in Chicago before he heads home.
President Hu’s visit is focused on strengthening business ties between the United States and China and will mark his last official trip here. He is expected to retire his leadership of the Communist Party in 2012 and step down from the presidency the following year.
His two-day visit to D.C. began yesterday with an official welcoming ceremony at the White House, followed by a joint news conference with President Obama and President Hu. Last night, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a state dinner in honor of President Hu. The state dinner was the third held so far by the Obama administration.