China’s Hu heads to US on energy efficiency wave

Chinese President Hu Jintao may find his energy saving initiatives an unlikely source of pride during a visit next week to the United States, where he faces criticism over human rights and Beijing’s currency policy.

The two countries are the world’s top oil consumers and emitters of greenhouse gases, but Hu has turned away from China’s previous mantra of economic growth at almost any cost to spearhead a huge drive to cut wasteful energy use.