US President George W. Bush met with five Chinese "freedom activists" on Tuesday and told them he would take a "message of freedom" to next month's Olympic Games in Beijing, the White House said.
"President Bush met with five Chinese freedom activists to discuss his concerns about human rights in China," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.
"The president assured them that he will carry the message of freedom as he travels to Beijing for the games, just as he has regularly made this a priority in all of his meetings with Chinese officials," she said.
Perino said Bush met at the White House residence with Harry Wu, Wei Jingsheng, Rebiya Kadeer, Dr. Sasha Gong, and Bob Fu.
"He told the activists that engagement with Chinese leaders gives him an opportunity to make the United States' position clear — human rights and religious freedom should not be denied to anyone," she said.
"The president asked them about their personal experiences in their peaceful efforts to press for more freedom in China," she said.
Perino said the five "welcomed the president's strong commitment to human rights and religious freedom and urged him to continue to deliver that message not only to the Chinese leadership but also to all the people of China."
The White House said Bush also "dropped by" a meeting on Tuesday between his National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
"The president reviewed current bilateral relations with the foreign minister; as well as his desire to see a successful Olympics, and noted that this presents the Chinese with an opportunity to demonstrate compassion on human rights and freedom," Perino said.
Bush has said he will attend the August 8 opening ceremony of the games after rejecting appeals from activists to boycott the event in protest over China's human rights record.
