Chinese Christians step out of shadows for Bush
By David Eimer in Beijing
Published: 21 November 2005

China's Christians are more used to police surveillance and harassment and worshipping in secret than basking in the limelight. But a visit by US President George Bush to the Gangwashi Church near Tiananmen Square for a morning's service, offered a rare chance for them to step out of the shadows.

Outside the church, one of five officially recognised protestant places of worship in Beijing, hundreds of riot police cordoned off the area yesterday, while plain-clothes officers circulated in the curious crowd.

But inside, the choir sang "Joyful, joyful, we adore thee" in the Bush's honour and, after the service, the pastor presented the President and First Lady with Chinese bibles. "May God bless the Christians of China," the President wrote in the church's visitors book.

For President Bush, a born-again Christian whose core constituency in the US is the religious right, pressing his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao on the need for greater religious freedom has been one of the most important aspects of his forty hour visit to China. "My hope is that the government of China will not fear Christians who gather to worship openly," said Mr Bush as he left the Gangwashi church.

But there is little sign that China's leaders are listening. Story