Call for Beijing to open economy to more competition

Wednesday, November 16, 2005 Posted: 0125 GMT (0925 HKT) 

President Bush is welcomed by Japanese PM Junichiro 
Koizumi. 
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Bush has a full agenda for his visit to Japan (2:16)  
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Manage Alerts | What Is This? KYOTO, Japan (CNN) -- U.S. 
President George W. Bush is pushing China to grant more 
freedoms to its people, citing Taiwan as an example of a 
successful Chinese democracy.

In remarks released from a speech to be delivered later 
Wednesday in Japan, Bush urges Chinese leaders to allow 
more freedom in their country, including the right "to 
worship without state control."

"Modern Taiwan is free and democratic and prosperous. By 
embracing freedom at all levels, Taiwan has delivered 
prosperity to its people and created a free and democratic 
Chinese society," Bush will say according to an advance 
text released by the U.S. White House.

"By meeting the legitimate demands of its citizens for 
freedom and openness, China's leaders can help their 
country grow into a modern, prosperous and confident 
nation," Bush will say.

"In the 21st century, freedom is an Asian value because it 
is a universal value."

President Bush is due to arrive in China on Saturday, after 
attending the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 
summit in Busan, South Korea with leaders of 20 other 
countries in the Pacific Rim.

On the first leg of his eight-day trip to Asia, President 
Bush will meet Wednesday with one of his strongest allies 
in the region, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, 
to discuss the continued deployment of Japanese troops in 
Iraq and the possible realignment of U.S. forces stationed 
in Japan.