Bush’s Asian Speech Gets a Cold Response

PRESIDENT George Bush arrived in Beijing yesterday amid an atmosphere of tension with China’s leaders over his high-profile criticism of the country’s human rights record.

The president, wife Laura and their daughter, Barbara, left Air Force One together, where they got a red-carpet greeting.

Mr Bush has said he wants to enjoy the Summer Olympics, but also will talk to President Hu Jintao about human rights and a host of other bilateral issues.

Before he arrived, China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement that no-one should interfere with China’s internal affairs.

Mr Bush plans to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics today and go to a series of sporting events up to Monday, including US basketball and baseball games against China.

Although he exhorted Beijing to improve human rights, Mr Bush, an avid sports fan and former part-owner of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, has said he wants his Olympics visit to be about sport, not politics.

In a speech outlining America’s achievements and challenges in Asia yesterday, Mr Bush pushed for a free press, free assembly and workers’ rights in China, and spoke out against the detention of dissidents, human rights advocates and religious activists.

He said he was not trying to antagonise China, but he did upset the Chinese, setting the stage for an interesting reception when he attends the opening ceremony.

“The Chinese government puts people first, and is dedicated to maintaining and promoting its citizens basic rights and freedom,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in response to Mr Bush’s speech. “Chinese citizens have freedom of religion. These are indisputable facts.”

He said China advocated discussion on differing views on human rights and religions on “a basis of mutual respect and equality,” then indicated it did not see Mr Bush’s criticism in that light.

“We firmly oppose any words or acts that interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, using human rights and religion and other issues,” Qin said.

Mr Bush has been trying to walk a tightrope in attending the games, wanting to avoid causing Beijing embarrassment during its two weeks on the world stage while also coming under pressure to use his visit to openly press China’s leaders for greater religious tolerance and other freedoms. Chinese officials bristled when he met with Chinese activists at the White House last week.

Making the repression issue timely, China has rounded up opponents ahead of the Olympics and slapped restrictions on journalists, betraying promises made when it won the games.

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