April 21, 2006 – With demonstrators on hand protesting China’s horrendous human rights policies, Chinese President Hu Jintao made his way to visit with President Bush today. Jintao’s U.S. visit comes amid continued concerns regarding the U.S.’s $202 billion dollar trade deficit with China and China’s failure to strengthen their artificially low currency.
Despite weeks of stepped up rhetoric by the Bush administration regarding China’s unfair trade practices, the talks between Bush and Hu are not expected to produce any breakthroughs that would halt China’s currency manipulation and unfair trade practices.
China ’s lack of workers’ rights is also a main concern. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney sent a letter to Bush asking him to use his meeting with Hu to forcefully raise the Chinese government’s suppression of fundamental workers’ rights, especially freedom of association.
China ’s continued unfair trade practices, including undervaluing their currency by as much as 40 percent and their exploitation of cheap labor, has led to massive job loss in the U.S. and a record trade deficit over $200 billion.
