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Just hours after Chinese President Jiang Zemin told George Bush that the People's Republic of China has always had freedom of worship, 70 Chinese police stormed a Christian service Thursday, arrested 47 elderly Christians for "illegally gathering," and confiscated their Bibles.

The detainees were released one or two days later but their house church (which doubled as a nursing home) was closed and slapped with a $6,000 fine. Those arrested say they were accused of being Falun Gong members and not given water or bathroom access during their detention. Other prominent Christians spent Bush's visit under 24-hour surveillance.

With the emergence this month of secret Chinese papers that document extensive religious persecution and a growing number of Christian arrests, human rights groups pressed Bush to use last week's 30-hour diplomatic visit to encourage religious freedom in China.

Before arriving for his talks with Jiang, Bush said he hoped that "as a president of a great nation, Jiang would understand the important role of religion in an individual's life.''

On Thursday, Jiang told Bush that he has no religious faith. "Yet this does not prevent me from having an interest in religion," he said. "I've read the Bible, I've also read the Qur'an, as well as the Scriptures of Buddhism. I often have meetings with the religious leaders in this country and exchange views."

Jiang's comments were made at a mutual press conference [transcript | audio | video] where he and Bush discussed the progress of their talks. Reporters twice asked Jiang about China's policy on religious freedom and the imprisonment of over 50 Catholic bishops and priests. Jiang did not answer the questions but belatedly returned to the subject near the end of the press conference.

"Whatever religion people believe in, they have to abide by the law," Jiang said. "Some of the law breakers have been detained because of their violation of law, not because of their religious belief. Although I'm the president of this country, I have no right interfering in the judicial affairs, because of judicial independence."

Bush was reportedly surprised by Jiang's comments on religion. The Toronto Star reported that he "seemed to enjoy reporters' efforts to pin Jiang down, [and later] registered his disbelief by pressing his lips together and gazing away from his host."

During Thursday's private talks with Jiang, Bush reportedly encouraged the president to stop the arrests of religious adherents, lift worship restrictions, and initiate talks with the Vatican and the Dalai Lama.

On Friday morning, Bush took the message public. His address at Beijing's Tsinghua University was broadcast live across the country. Centering on American values of liberty and family, Bush sought to give Chinese citizens a "clear picture" of the United States. The speech included repeated discussion of religious freedom—and Bush's own testimony.

"Ninety-five percent of Americans say they believe in God, and I'm one of them," Bush said. "When I met President Jiang Zemin in Shanghai a few months ago, I had the honor of sharing with him how faith changed my life and how faith contributes to the life of my country. Faith points to a moral law beyond man's law, and calls us to duties higher than material gain."

Bush urged China to view freedom of religion as something to welcome and not to fear.

"Regardless of where or how these believers worship, they are no threat to public order; in fact, they make good citizens," Bush told the crowd at Tsinghua University and television viewers. ''My prayer is that all persecution will end, so that all in China are free to gather and worship as they wish."

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February (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46