As China's President Hu Jintao visited the White House yesterday, he may have been less than pleased at the extent to which issues of religious freedom in China found their way onto his agenda. In his welcoming remarks at Hu's arrival ceremony (full text), President Bush said: "As the relationship between our two nations grows and matures, we can be candid about our disagreements. I'll continue to discuss with President Hu the importance of respecting human rights and freedoms of the Chinese people. China has become successful because the Chinese people are experience the freedom to buy, and to sell, and to produce -- and China can grow even more successful by allowing the Chinese people the freedom to assemble, to speak freely, and to worship."
Hu's remarks contained only the following generalization on the issue: "We are ready to enhance dialogue and exchanges with the U.S. side on the basis of mutual respect and equality to promote the world's cause of human rights."
During the welcoming ceremony, a Chinese woman reporter from The Epoch Times who had been admitted into the White House grounds with press credentials began shouting at Hu: "President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong." (Reuters report.) Outside the White House, hundreds of demonstrators from Falun Gong, and from a Tibetan youth group, among others, carried signs and shouted slogans. In today's edition, The Epoch Times apologized for its reporter's actions, but reiterated its concern over charges that Falun Gong practitioners are being killed so that their organs can be used for transplantations.
In Tuesday's New York Sun, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom had published a detailed op-ed piece outlining China's human rights problems. It called on President Bush to urge China's release of all individuals imprisoned or detained because of their religious beliefs or practices.
