*”China stands for peaceful settlements of disputes and hot spot issues and follows a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. We do not engage in an arms race or pose a military threat to any country. China will never seek hegemony or pursue an expansionist policy.”*
Hu also held a Capitol Hill meeting with Senate leaders from both parties, including Majority Leader Harry Reid. The visit came two days after Reid gave a television interview in which he called Hu a *”dictator,”* a remark he quickly retracted.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: *”I’m going back to Washington tomorrow and meet with the president of China. He is a dictator; he can do a lot of things. He, through the form of government they have—maybe I shouldn’t have said ‘dictator,’ but they have a different type of government than we have, and that’s an understatement.”*
