|
Bush sorry over China heckler
21/04/2006 11:04 - (SA)
Washington - President George W Bush expressed personal regret to Chinese President Hu Jintao for a protest during an elaborate welcoming ceremony on the White House lawn on Thursday.
The protester interrupted the ceremony by shouting to Bush to stop the Chinese president from "persecuting the Falun Gong".
Bush later spoke of the matter when he met with Hu in the Oval Office. "He just said this was unfortunate, and I'm sorry it happened," said Dennis Wilder, acting senior director for Asian affairs on the National Security Council staff.
Wilder said Hu was gracious in accepting Bush's apology. The two leaders moved on in their talks and it was not mentioned again in several hours of meetings.
Symbolism and protocol
Hu and Bush sat next to each other at an elaborate luncheon - a departure from traditional protocol, which would have had them at different tables.
Chinese leaders place high importance on symbolism and protocol. White House officials have worked with Chinese counterparts for months on every detail of Hu's visit.
"I would be extremely surprised if the Chinese blamed us for this," Wilder said.
The woman began shouting from the top of a camera stand that had been erected in front of the two leaders on the South Lawn.
The Secret Service identified her as Wang Wenyi, 47.
Secret Service spokesperson Jim Mackin said Wang had been charged with disorderly conduct and a separate charge of intimidating or disrupting foreign officials also was being considered.
Mackin said Wang had gained access to the event with a temporary White House pass and had been cleared through all the appropriate levels of security.
'Stop him from persecuting the Falun Gong'
Stephen Gregory, a spokesperson for the Falun Gong-affiliated newspaper The Epoch Times, said she had received a press credential through the newspaper. He identified her as a doctor with a specialty in pathology, and a Falun Gong practitioner based in New York. Falun Gong, a spiritual movement based in China, is banned by the Chinese government as a dangerous cult.
As President Hu began speaking, Wang shouted in Chinese and in heavily accented English: "President Bush, stop him from killing" and "President Bush, stop him from persecuting the Falun Gong."
Bush, standing next to Hu, leaned over and whispered to him, "You're OK," indicating the Chinese leader should proceed with his opening remarks. Hu, who had paused briefly when the shouting began, resumed speaking.
'It's hugely embarrassing'
Derek Mitchell, a former Asia adviser at the Pentagon and now an analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said: "It's hugely embarrassing."
China "must know that this Bush administration is good at controlling crowds for themselves, and the fact that they couldn't control this is going to play to their worst fears and suspicions about the United States, into mistrust about American intentions toward China."
|
News
