Bush- Hu should address intellectual prop rights

WASHINGTON, Apr 10 (Reuters) President George W. Bush said today he expects China's President Hu Jintao, who is to visit Washington this month, to make a declaration on intellectual property rights.

Bush said it would be difficult for America to trade with a country if there was uncertainty about whether patents would be protected. ''It's very important for him to make a declaration on international property rights,'' Bush said in response to a question after a speech at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at The Johns Hopkins University.

Hu is scheduled to meet with Bush on April 20 and they will discuss what Bush called a ''wide agenda.'' The U.S. trade deficit with China was more than 0 billion last year.

U.S. critics have been urging China to let the yuan appreciate more quickly, saying an undervalued currency gives China an unfair export advantage.

''A lot of Americans are wondering where's the equity on trade. And therefore I think he (Hu) could help the Americans understand the importance of a free trading world if he were to maybe make a statement on his currency for example,'' Bush said.

REUTERS SRS HS2241