Word to the wise on organising a Chinese leader’s US visit
Let me begin by wishing those planning Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the US on September 24 the best of luck, something I didn’t have in 2006, when president George W. Bush invited president Hu Jintao to the White House. After you read this, you may wonder how I was able to keep my job. All I can say is, Bush was a very forgiving boss. This story begins in January 2006. I had just…
The United States has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Washington on September 24, 2022. This is a significant event, especially considering the challenges encountered during President George W. Bush's predecessor, Michael Green, in organizing Hu Jintao's state visit to the US in 2006. Despite the difficulties, Bush was able to successfully host the visit, which involved a "social lunch" and a welcoming ceremony on the White House lawn.
The visit to the US provided President Bush with an opportunity to showcase his stance on religious tolerance, which he demonstrated by attending a Protestant church service and participating in a mountain bike ride with young Chinese Olympic aspirants. However, the Chinese government's continued persecution of the Falun Gong posed a significant challenge during Hu Jintao's visit.
On the night before the event, the Chinese ambassador repeatedly demanded that arrangements be made to prevent Hu from sleeping, and a protester shouted at Bush to stop Hu from persecuting Falun Gong while he was delivering his remarks. Despite these hurdles, Bush managed to handle the situation effectively, and Hu graciously accepted Bush's advice to treat guests better.
The incident, however, led to Hu being included in the Chinese foreign ministry's criticism of Bush's handling of the visit.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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