Washington
After all the subtleties of a state dinner at the White House, approval of Chinese President Hu Jintao, was on Capitol Hill on Thursday may be a bit cold in comparison.
Hu will meet separately with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House John Boehner. Neither man attended the dinner Wednesday night in honor of the Chinese leader.
Reid called Hu a "dictator" in a television interview Tuesday, but quickly withdrew his words.
"Maybe I should not say a dictator, but a different kind of state of us, and it is an understatement."
A spokesman for Reid argued in its comments.
"It 's clear that he believes strongly in the American political system and our form of government," said Jon Summers. "He also believes it important to continue dialogue with the Chinese government on a wide range of issues that are crucial for both countries, including our economy, Iran, North Korea."
Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, did not attend the state dinner. House, Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader, despite being an outspoken critic of China's human rights.
President Barack Obama emphasized the common interests among nations, while toasting the Chinese leader to the White House.
"Although it is easier to focus on our differences in culture and perspective, we must never forget the values that our people share," Obama said while lifting a glass of Hu.
"Homage to the family, the belief that education and hard work and sacrifice of the future is what we are doing, and, above all, we want to give children a better life," Obama said, listing what he called the common values U.S. and China, roasting Hu.
Hu, roasting Obama's first official state dinner at the Chinese for 13 years, praised the U.S. president to bring two countries closer.
"In recent years, especially in the last two years since Obama took office, China-US relations have made solid progress," Hu said.
"We have increased business cooperation in many fields, and maintained close coordination with major international and regional issues, and has played a positive role in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world" .
Hu said it had signed an important agreement with Obama during his visit.
"We agreed that our two countries should intensify their contacts at the highest level and others to strengthen strategic mutual trust through dialogue and communication, increase exchanges and cooperation in all fields and enhance communication and coordination on international and regional issues, "he said.
This morning, Obama and Hu met behind closed doors for several hours that senior officials from both countries worked to resolve problems related to the global economic crisis, international security, environment and human rights.
Obama administration officials used the meeting with President Hu Jintao said economic progress between the two countries, Beijing announced the approval of $ 45 billion in new contracts for American companies to export products to China. Support contracts is estimated that 235.000 jobs in the U.S., according to the White House.
human rights remains a crucial point for bonding the two men. The United States had opposed for decades, including the handling of China's Tibet and political dissidents, as the Nobel Prize Liu Xiaobo, who remains in prison.
Obama on Wednesday defended his government's decision to engage with China despite these differences, emphasizes that "China has a political system different from what we do" and is on a "phase of development."
"I was very frank with President Hu on these issues," Obama told reporters, "are sometimes a source of tension."
But "we can engage and discuss these issues openly and honestly," he said.
Hu man defended the rights of his country, saying that "China also recognizes and respects the universality of human rights." At the same time, he said, it is important to take into account "the different national circumstances."
"We will continue efforts to improve the lives of the Chinese people" and to "promote democracy and the rule of law," he said. At the same time, Beijing is ready to commit to Washington on the basis of "mutual respect" and the principle of "non-intervention" in internal affairs.
Hu began his three-day trip to the United States on Tuesday afternoon.
The official state dinner for Hu on Wednesday night is an opportunity for third, as its administration.
Among the 225 persons in attendance were former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz were also at the dinner.
The last White House state dinner for China was in October 1997.