Hu Jintao shrugs off Senate majority leader Harry Reid's "dictator" claims

Washington, Jan 21 (ANI): Chinese President Hu Jintao has shruged off down claims that he is a "dictator" and that his country is a "gangster regime that murders their own people."

The senate majority leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, had recently branded Jintao a dictator. alifornia Republican Dana Rohrabacher also branded China a 'gangster regime that murders their own people,' and warned U.S. business leaders that they were dealing with 'Nazis.'

Hu has claimed that China had made 'enormous progress' in human rights issues and they are willing to have further discussions as long as there was 'respect for national sovereignty'.

Talking to American business leaders, Hu assured the United States that his country is Washington's economic partner, and added that it does not intend to pose a military threat to America or any other country.

"We will remain committed to the path of peaceful development. We do not engage in an arms race, we are not a military threat to any country. China will never seek to dominate or pursue an expansionist policy," he added.

On Thursday, Hu went to Capitol Hill for closed-door meetings with members of the House and Reid.

Reid further claimed that during his meeting with the Chinese premier, he raised issues of trade, Chinese currency policies and a need for more Chinese investment and tourism in the United States. (ANI)