WASHINGTON (voa) – The heir-apparent to the Chinese presidency, Vice-President Hu Jintao, heads to New York Sunday on the second leg of his first official visit to the United States.
Mr. Hu is scheduled to fly to New York Sunday from the western island state of Hawaii, where he began his trip Saturday. Later this week, he goes to Washington for talks with President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
Mr. Hu arrived in Honolulu (Hawaii) Saturday, where he attended a luncheon hosted governor Ben Cayetano and later visited Pearl Harbor.
Dozens of peaceful pro-Taiwan activists held up banners and signs outside the building where the luncheon was held, protesting against Beijing’s policy toward the democratically-governed island.
Reuters news agency quotes Mr. Hu as saying he is looking forward to talks with President Bush on bilateral relations, including current tensions over Taiwan.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be a renegade province with no sovereign rights. China’s Communist government has threatened to attack Taiwan if it declares independence.
The 59-year-old Chinese vice-president is expected to replace President Jiang Zemin as Communist Party chief this year, and as China’s president next year.
