Human Rights in China (HRIC) will mark Chinese President Hu Jintao’s first “official” visit to the U.S. by launching a special “Where’s Hu Now?” Web site on April 18, 2006, 10 a.m. EDT.

Hu’s visit comes at a time when China is experiencing serious human rights challenges, including the arbitrary detention of rights activists, defense lawyers, journalists and Internet essayists, and a growing incidence of mass unrest. Apart from his meetings with U.S. officials, Hu will be hosted by Microsoft and Boeing, both of which have a significant corporate presence in China, and will make speeches at Yale University and the Future of Flight Museum in Everett, Washington.

The Web site includes details of Hu’s itinerary and sample messages in English and Chinese summaries that members of the public can email to the officials, business and academic leaders Hu will be meeting in the U.S. The messages encourage these leaders to impress upon Hu that human rights concerns must not be undermined by trade and diplomatic issues.

The Web site can be accessed at: http://www.ir2008.org/whereshu