The US, China state visit was always going to be a tricky affair. They speak different languages and good translators are so hard to find these days. Nevertheless, they met. Things got off to a good enough start but got testy when Obama straight up told the Chinese head of state they should do something about their human rights record. Whether he heard ‘human’ rights we’ll never know.

China and the US are at loggerheads about a couple of things – China’s weak currency, nuclear proliferation, trade imbalances. The only thing they really agree upon is that they should sell each other more stuff. Most sensitive of the issues between them is the whole human rights thing. Which is why Obama straight up told his Chinese counterpart they should do something about it. Hu Jintao looked a little bemused but gave a short response.

Later at a press conference he didn’t even respond when a reporter stirred the very sensitive human rights issue again. After an uncomfortable silence he conceded they should probably do something about it.

Meanwhile in China right now they’re closing down zoos in what looks like steps to improve their animal rights record.

President Hu Jintao must have misheard.

The Chinese word for human is rénlèi. Phonetically pretty close to dòngwù, the Chinese word for animal.

[Sources: Washinton Post, Telegraph]