DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping has arrived at the Capitol in Des Moines for a dinner with about 700 people.
Xi flew to Des Moines on Wednesday night after a brief stop in Muscatine, where he met with residents who hosted him during a 1985 visit to the southeast Iowa city.
Xi, who is expected to become China's next president, exchanged toasts with Governor Terry Branstad at the dinner.
The vice president will stay overnight in Des Moines, then Thursday will attend an agriculture conference and travel north of the city to meet with a farmer.
Earlier this week, Xi met President Barack Obama and congressional leaders. He will fly to California later Thursday.
During the Capitol event, protesters were kept about 200 yards from the Statehouse.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
