“Starbucks coffee shops have mushroomed in China’s cities,” said Chinese President Hu Jintao, in Seattle, WA, his first stop on his U.S. visit. “If I were not serving in this office, I would certainly prefer to go into one of the coffee shops run by Starbucks.”

President Hu’s visit is not all jokes, however. Hu, an engineer by training, seeks to ease rising U.S. tensions over China’s software piracy practices. During a visit to Redmond, Washington, Hu spoke with Microsoft officials about increased ties between China and Microsoft.

Tim Chen, corporate vice president and chief executive officer of Microsoft Greater China Region says that:

Microsoft is committed to growing together with China’s IT industry, helping local Chinese customers develop strong, sustainable IT infrastructures and a clear road map for future development. With the recently announced cooperative engagement agreements with computer manufacturers to pre-load genuine Windows® operating systems, we see even greater opportunities in China and the chance to build long-lasting relationships with customers and partners in China.

Read more about President Hu’s U.S. visit in the Seattle Times and at Microsoft.com.

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