Bush Sharpens Public Critique Of China's Idea Of Freedom

Bush's appeals for greater political and religious freedom were made perhaps most forcefully in Bangkok on Thursday, just before he flew to Beijing.

The Bangkok address was effectively muted by Communist Party censors here and did not attract broad attention except among activists who read news on foreign-based Internet sites.

Most newspapers ran a small story from the government's official New China News Agency reporting that the Foreign Ministry had denounced attempts to use human rights as a way to interfere in China's internal affairs. The article mentioned in passing that the ministry was responding to Bush's mention of human rights in China, but without detailing what he said.

Meanwhile, long-standing arrangements for handling the entry of White House officials and accompanying journalists were upended at the last minute. The White House unsuccessfully battled Chinese officials over whether the luggage of officials on Air Force One would be inspected. Meanwhile, reporters were kept on board their chartered plane for three hours while the White House worked out a compromise with officials on entry issues.

Some U.S. officials said they thought the logistical problems reflected divisions within the Chinese government, with Foreign Ministry officials supporting greater openness than the security services. Indeed, Hu appeared warm when he met Bush on Friday at a welcoming luncheon for about 80 world leaders.

Another controversy has been Bush's decision to abide by Chinese restrictions and worship Sunday at the government-sanctioned Kuanjie Protestant Church, rather than at one of the "house churches," which operate illegally. Officials said the White House had decided essentially to avoid provoking the Chinese even as Bush pressed his points about religious freedom. One official said that the church has been a known supporter of house churches.

Li Baiguang, an activist lawyer, said that during a meeting he had with Bush two years ago, the president expressed willingness to visit a house church. "If he would go, the power of house churches in China would grow," Li said.

Still, Li said, even Bush's visit to a state-sanctioned church helps the overall cause of religion in China because "that action will send a message to the Chinese government and the rest of the world that the United States regards religion as important."