Mimi Hall

05/03/2001

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Thursday unleashed his harshest criticism yet of China, attacking Beijing for a human rights policy he said displays "an unreasonable and unworthy suspicion of freedom of conscience." Bush said his administration views with "special concern" the [party's name omitted] country's restrictions on religious expression and its persecution of the Falun Gong, a spiritual movement whose members have been branded an "[Chinese government's slanderous term omitted]" and repeatedly imprisoned.

"China aspires to national strength and greatness," Bush said in prepared remarks. "But these acts of persecution are acts of fear and therefore of weakness."

Bush's comments came in a speech to the American Jewish Committee in which he focused on human rights abuses. [...]

Posting date: 5/5/2001
Original article date: 5/3/2001
Category: News & Media Reports

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