China rebukes Bush challenge of 'basic rights'

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By Chris O'Brien

BEIJING | The Chinese welcomed President Bush to the Olympic Games on Friday by declaring their commitment to "citizens' basic rights and freedom" and then keeping the White House press corps waiting on the runway at Beijing's international airport for three hours before letting journalists off the plane.

Mr. Bush arrived in Beijing on Thursday after drawing China's ire by challenging its crackdown on human rights in a speech delivered earlier in the day in Bangkok, and the Chinese government used virtually the same language to describe what it considers Mr. Bush's intrusions.

"We firmly oppose any words or acts that interfere in other countries' internal affairs, using human rights and religion and other issues," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang. He said that the Chinese government is dedicated to promoting basic rights and that "Chinese citizens have freedom of religion. These are indisputable facts."

Mr. Bush's arrival in Beijing on the eve of the Opening Ceremonies comes amid an atmosphere of familiar tension after the president, who has maintained his Olympic visit is about sport not politics, criticized the Chinese government over human rights abuses.

China issued a curt rebuttal that no one should interfere in other countries' internal affairs. Then came the episode with the press plane.

The Northwest Airlines 747 plane with the White House press corps landed at 2:10 a.m. local time, but passengers, numbering around 40 journalists, were not able to get off the plane until shortly after 5 a.m. White House officials would say only that there were "logistical problems" getting clearance to unload the aircraft.

Typically, the White House press charter receives the "custom of the port," meaning reporters, photographers and camera crews are able to get off the plane right after landing, board buses and head to their hotels and work areas while U.S. officials process immigration and customs details.

Later, as Mr. Bush dedicated a massive new $434 million U.S. Embassy in Beijing, the appearance of political one-upmanship began to recede — if ever so slightly.

"We strongly believe societies which allow the free expression of ideas tend to be the most prosperous and the most peaceful," the president said.

Mr. Bush's remarks weren't quite as blunt as his earlier criticism of China's human rights record during the earlier stop in Thailand.