Bush to stress religious freedom in China
White Houses urges coverage by state-controlled media
Saturday, November 19, 2005; Posted: 1:30 p.m. EST (18:30 GMT)

BEIJING, China (AP) -- The White House on Saturday urged China to give wide media coverage to U.S. President George W. Bush's visit and said Bush would press Beijing about religious freedom, trade problems and the need for currency reforms.

Bush arrived Saturday evening in the Chinese capital. He was due to attend a church service on Sunday with his wife, Laura, before meeting with President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders.
U.S. officials have talked with their Chinese counterparts about coverage of Bush's visit by the entirely state-controlled Chinese media, said Mike Green, senior director for Asian affairs on the National Security Council.

"The basic expectation we have -- and we've made it clear to them -- is that they should give the Chinese people an opportunity to hear everything the president has to say on U.S.-China relations, just as we give the American people and the American press every opportunity to hear what President Hu has to say about U.S.-China relations," Green told reporters aboard Air Force One as Bush flew to Beijing. The rest



Beijing pastor warned on eve of Bush visit
Authorities ship church leader's attorney to town 100 miles away
Posted: November 19, 20051:00 a.m. Eastern

On the eve of President's visit to Beijing, Chinese authorities instructed the leading defense attorney for a house church pastor to leave the capital, warning him not to engage in "unofficial activities."

A Public Security Bureau agent came to Zhang Xingshui, lawyer for Pastor Cai Zhuohua, a couple of days ago, the reported, telling him to stay in a verifiable temporary location in Tianjin City, about 100 miles from Beijing. Story