Chinese President Jiang Zemin received a red-carpet greeting from business partners Sunday but faced hundreds of protesters outside his speech to political leaders and Hollywood executives.
Officials of Hughes Electronics, owned by General Motors Corp., showed Jiang automotive and satellite technology being sold to his country, and he wished Hughes "continued success.""I believe that this will further promote cooperation," Jiang said in English during a tour of Hughes offices on the final day of his eight-day U.S. trip.
After a stop at a separate Hughes satellite-manufacturing plant, Jiang traveled to Beverly Hills for a speech at the Hilton Hotel there. Outside, more than 600 chanting, sign-waving demonstrators protested China's human-rights record and policies toward Tibet and Taiwan.
"I think it is ridiculous for America to accept (his) visit here with all his human rights violations," said Tashi Chodron, a board member of the Tibet Association of Northern California.
Protesters have dogged Jiang throughout his visit.
After Hughes, Jiang had lunch with Gov. Pete Wilson and was to address business and entertainment elite before a dinner with Chinese-Americans.
"When we have differences - as we do and inevitably will have - we must have built a relationship of the understanding, the mutual respect and the trust that will be required to resolve them," Wilson said in prepared remarks.
In January, Wilson met Jiang during a trade mission to Asia and discussed services and technologies that California companies can offer China, California's sixth-largest trading partner with exports of more than $3 billion in the first half of the year.
Jiang was warmly greeted by Hughes and GM officials, who do billions of dollars in business with China. Jiang looked at exhibits describing communication satellites that Hughes builds and China launches with its rockets.
He also sat in the passenger seat of a Buick Regal, which will be built in China next year.
Company officials demonstrated GM's new service using satellite technology in which drivers who lock their keys in the car can call a telephone number and have the doors opened. The same service includes a car location feature.
For the demonstration, a remote operator honked the car's horn and flashed the lights. Before triggering the horn, the operator said "Please hold" and put the president of China on hold.
Jiang joked about the two Smith brothers in attendance: Michael T. Smith, head of Hughes Electronics, and brother John F. Smith, head of GM.
"Now I know you are brothers because your face is very similar," said Jiang, prompting laughter from hundreds of Hughes and GM employees.
In welcoming Jiang, Michael Smith said he hoped the trade agreement accomplished more than economic benefits.
"It has been my belief that we cannot calculate the value of our business activities in jobs and economic growth alone," he said. "Such interaction as we have enjoyed also brings us together as peoples."