ABSTRACT
President Hu made numerous trips abroad and innumerable speeches in China, yet few have a strong sense of the man's personality. Drawing on what is known of his background and his public policy statements; two journalists well-versed in Chinese affairs offered the following discussion of their impressions of Hu and his future place in history. When President Hu arrived in Washington this week to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, it was his second visit to the United States. To many in this country, Mr. Hu was still a mystery. Hu always keeps an image of being a cautious leader - often he's cast as being boring and humorless. However, his cautious appearance can also be misleading, masking his true political instincts and aspirations. During his reign, Hu has quietly promoted his own people to various important government posts. In the name of eliminating corruption, he has purged outspoken political rivals.
