Hu's 'crucial' stateside visit

Bush and Hu met during the U.S. president's trip to Beijing

(CNN) -- Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao is set to visit the United States in late April in what is considered to be a crucial event for Sino-American ties.

Beijing sources close to Hu's personal office said the 59-year-old leader had assembled his own team of U.S. experts to prepare for the trip.

This was different from his low-profile tour of five European countries last October.

Much of the preparations for the European trip, including the speeches he made, was the work of officials in the Foreign Ministry and the Communist Party's Leading Group on Foreign Affairs.

The sources said Hu had put together think tanks in areas including the economy and foreign policy in the run-up to his assumption of the post of party general secretary this autumn -- and the state presidency in March 2003.

Until recently, the Vice-President and senior Politburo member had only been concerned about his long-time specialty, party affairs and ideology.

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Analysts in Washington and Beijing said there were high expectations that talks between Hu and President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney would lay the stage for bilateral ties in the post-Jiang Zemin era.

Professor David Shambaugh, a leading U.S. Sinologist, said the visit would be a good opportunity "for Hu to familiarize himself with a technologically advanced country, American society, culture and history, and for the U.S. government to take stock of China's future leader."

Peking University foreign affairs expert Jia Qingguo said the Hu trip was important because the future Chinese leader would be able to get acquainted with senior U.S. politicians.

Analysts said if only because Jiang would remain an important arbiter of Chinese politics for a few more years, Hu would likely stick to the president's largely conciliatory policy toward the U.S. in the foreseeable future.

"China's current U.S. policy will be continued under Hu," said Professor Jia.

Jia added while both sides would make adjustments according to new circumstances, he expected Beijing's U.S. policy to be "more pragmatic and finessed in the future."

However, Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Head of the French Center for Research on Contemporary China, said there could be more friction with the U.S. on security matters such as America's missile defense system a few years after Hu had taken over.

Cabestan said Hu would face more pressure from nationalistic, conservative and anti-American groups in the party and society to be tougher with Washington on certain issues.

The China expert indicated "Hu may be in a weaker position than Jiang to thwart pressures" from such groups.

A Western diplomat in Beijing said Hu was aware of the widespread criticism, particularly coming from military elements and representatives of the heartland provinces, of Jiang's "pro-U.S. policy."

"Cadres and intellectuals from central and western provinces are saying since Jiang represents coastal interests, he wants to cozy up to the Americans so as to bring more business to the boom towns like Shanghai," the diplomat said.

"It is likely that Hu, who is anxious to get the support of heartland provinces, may make strategic revisions to Jiang's American policy."

It is understood Hu's foreign policy advisers come from a more diverse background than those currently counseling Jiang.