Bush, Chinese leader to discuss nuclear weapons

Associated Press

BEIJING — On the final leg of his Asian trip, President Bush said today China is lending "steady and strong support" to the U.S.-led war on terrorism as it works toward striking a deal with the United States on controlling the flow of nuclear technology.

High on Bush’s agenda with Chinese President Jiang Zemin is preventing the sale of missile and nuclear technology to nations such as Iran and Pakistan. The two leaders hoped to complete an agreement during their meetings in Beijing, a senior White House official said today.

Jiang greeted Bush at the Great Hall before a contingent of 40 uniformed Chinese soldiers. They reviewed the ceremonial honor guard and shook hands with members of each others’ delegations, then went behind closed doors for their talks.

Under the potential nuclear deal, China would meet U.S. demands to publish a list of items prohibited from export and enforce the ban if the administration agreed to lift sanctions barring U.S. companies from launching satellites on Chinese rockets.

The meetings between Bush and Jiang were unlikely to be contentious, in part because of their new alliance against terrorism. China has provided the United States with intelligence and other help that has gone a long way toward muting differences, and Bush also was extending an invitation for Jiang to visit Washington, D.C., in the fall.

But there are also sticking points. Bush wants to encourage Jiang to respect religious freedoms and consider the Vatican’s plea to free Catholic bishops. He said he hoped that Jiang "would understand the important role of religion in an individual’s life."

In addition to human rights, Bush and Jiang are at odds over U.S. missile defense plans, the fate of Taiwan, trade and Bush’s claim that North Korea, Iran and Iraq form "an axis of evil." Bush intended to raise World Trade Organization requirements that China allow U.S. soybean shipments, a $1 billion-a-year market for American growers, said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

Before leaving South Korea, Bush told troops at Osan Air Base that despite their regional differences, the three Asian leaders he has met on his six-day tour are united in backing his coalition against the al-Qaida network and other terrorist groups.

Each stop of his journey, Bush said, gave him a chance "to look the leaders in the eye, to thank them on behalf of a grateful nation, for their steady and strong support as this nation leads a coalition to defend freedom."