China will pursue its own brand of democracy, president says.

Published 9:00 pm Friday, April 21, 2006

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – China will make its own decisions on political freedom and human rights, and not simply copy the model of Western countries, President Hu Jintao said Friday as he wound up his U.S. tour.

With protesters against his communist rule kept several blocks away, Hu told students and faculty at Yale University that differences between China and the United States can be overcome by cooperation and a shared desire for peace.

But when asked whether his country’s restrictions on political expression would cause unrest and hinder its economic growth, he said China was committed to democracy but had no plans to simply import other countries’ policies.

“On one hand, we are ready and willing to draw on the useful experience of foreign countries into political involvement,” he said. “On the other hand, we will not simply copy the political models of other countries.”

The question was one of a couple that Hu answered from among those submitted in writing.

It was the last appearance by Hu on his four-day U.S. tour. On Thursday, he had met with President Bush in the White House.

Hu met with Bush in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, and the two leaders said it was a productive summit meeting. They agreed to cooperate more closely on trade and nuclear tensions over Iran and North Korea.

During his U.S. trip, Hu also visited Washington state and officials of Microsoft Corp. and Boeing Co. in an effort to emphasize support for expanded U.S. exports to China.