Vice president of China visits U.S. Congress

WASHINGTON -- U.S. officials on Tuesday took their first face-to-face measure of Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao, who is expected to be the China's next president.

Hu sat with congressional leaders on Capitol Hill, and was had dinner with Secretary of State Colin Powell. The sessions were cast as personal time with a Chinese leader.

A dozen senators greeted Hu in the offices of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., for a private discussion over coffee and tea. They only allowed photos of the session.

Tuesday's meetings were a prelude to Hu's meetings today with President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Powell. Cheney and Hu are to have lunch privately at Cheney's residence, and Bush is receiving him in the Oval Office this afternoon.

A meaty agenda awaits: Taiwan, trade, human rights and a strained U.S.-Chinese military relationship. A candid discussion of human rights was planned, with emphasis on pressing China about the release of individual detainees and encouraging reform, a source said.

The official said the discussions are not expected to dwell specifically on the case of Yang Jianli, a U.S.-based activist who was detained on his first visit back to China in 13 years. Yang heads the Foundation for China in the 21st Century, a Boston-based group that advocates democracy and rule of law in China.

The State Department issued a statement Tuesday saying officials are in contact with Yang's family in the United States, and with Chinese authorities in Beijing and Washington, "but we have no information at this point."