An enthusiastic crowd of some 300 people from the local Chinese community feted the President, waving small red Chinese flags, and shouting "Welcome, welcome."
President Hu and his wife, Liu Yongqing, emerged from the plane holding hands and waving to the crowd.
They walked down the staircase and along a red carpet to be greeted by a delegation including Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressman Jay Inslee, and Chinese-American former governor Gary Locke.
Chinese ambassador to the US Zhou Wenzhong and US Ambassador to China Clark Randt also were on hand, as well as other politicians from Seattle and Washington state.
President Hu and his wife received bouquets from primary school girls dressed in pink traditional Chinese outfits.
Most of those on hand were Chinese Americans living in Seattle.
Mr Hu was met by another multiracial group of African-American, white and Chinese-Americans who drummed and performed dragon and lion dances.
He was then whisked away in a motorcade.
The President’s aides meanwhile distributed a written arrival statement praising Seattle and Washington state "renowned for their beautiful environment and dynamic economy.
"They are important American gateways to China and the rest of Asia."
"China and the United States are great nations. We share broad common interests, have a solid foundation for cooperation and shoulder joint responsibility for promoting world peace and development. A healthy, stable and ever-growing China-US relationship will both benefit the two peoples and enhance peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and world at large," Hu said in the statement.
"I look forward to meeting with President Bush and exchanging views with him on bilateral relations and major issues bearing on our common interests."
"I am confident that this visit will boost the growth of constructive and
cooperative relationship between China and the United States," he added.
Peaceful protests
After arriving in Seattle, Mr Hu was tailed by protestors with signs and chants denouncing China's cruel treatment of Falungong members and calling for the release of dissidents.
Holding large banners and using bullhorns to try to grab his attention, dozens of demonstrators lined the streets outside the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle where Mr Hu was staying.
"Nazi-like brutal genocide concentration camps is reemerging in China," one sign by the banned Falungong spiritual movement said outside the hotel.
"Free Tibet! China Get Out of Tibet," Tibetans and Tibet rights advocates shouted.
Across the street, however, a handful of Chinese dressed in traditional silk outfits played drums and and waved Chinese flags.
Protestors followed Mr Hu everywhere, waiting at street corners along his route to areas he visits including the Microsoft campus.
Several Falungong members sat on the lawn of the Microsoft compound, with legs folded, meditating.
"Falun Dafa (Gong) is Good," the group's sign said. China banned the group as an "evil cult" in 1999 and has jailed tens of thousands of its members.
Other protestors quietly held up signs demanding the release of detained dissidents, including US permanent resident Yang Jianli, whose case is expected to be raised by US President George W. Bush during a summit in Washington Thursday.
Still others called for lifting of Internet restrictions, including shutting down politically sensitive websites and jailing web masters and writers for expressing their opinions.
One sign also addressed to Microsoft founder Bill Gates said: "Bill and Hu, Free the Web."
The protestors were peaceful and orderly and no confrontations occurred.
Tight security
Perhaps due to the expected loud protests in the United States, security was tighter at his hotel than usual.
Journalists were not allowed to enter the hotel or wait outside, in contrast to common practice when Mr Hu is overseas.
Reporters are normally allowed to wait in the lobby for him, in hopes he will make some comments.
"This time it will be different," a foreign ministry official said, without explaining why.