WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington is getting its first hard look at the man destined to be China’s next leader.
Vice President Xi Jinping (shee-jinping) will meet Tuesday at the White House with President Barack Obama. Xi arrived in the U.S. on Monday as the guest of Vice President Joe Biden.
Xi is to replace Hu Jintao (hoo-jintow) as Communist Party leader late this year, then succeed Hu as president in 2013.
The 58-year-old Xi is viewed as more personable than Hu. The trip is unlikely to herald policy changes before he takes power, but it may signal his leadership style.
It is a chance for U.S. leaders to build a relationship with Xi. Economic ties between the U.S. and China are set to grow, although the countries increasingly are viewed as military rivals.
