Hu Jintao Warns US to Back Off on Tibet, Taiwan

Hu Jintao is willing to make diplomatic nice-nice on all facets of US-China relations—with two important exceptions, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Taiwan and Tibet. Both "concern China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and they represent China's core interests," he told US business leaders today. "We should treat each other with respect." Or as the CSM translates: "Butt out."

Hu also met with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill today and was pressed on issues ranging from human rights to abortion, notes the Wall Street Journal. John McCain related one exchange in which Hu was asked about the nation's currency. The Chinese leader responded that "they have made some changes in the currency imbalance, but it's not that that's the problem, it's that we, China, are more productive" and "have lower labor costs," said McCain. Hu's not exactly currying favor among his DC critics.
(More Hu Jintao stories.)