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" It is one of five authorized protestant churches in the capital, and remains under control of China's Communist Party"

In a city with a population of 7 million for Bush to acquiesce this this as being Freedom of Religion is a travesty.

"White House officials say it is a real church, where real people of faith really do worship."

Propagandist commentary designed to placate America's largest foreign supplier of consumer goods.

There is freedom of religion in China, The Southern Border is secure, Illegal immigration isn't a problem, The National Debt is not a problem, Patriot Act is conditional. Yes, Bush is a conservative my arse. Conservative socialist is a more fitting definition.

I'm ticked. This man is a hypocrite. Putting on the face of piety in America yet ignoring Christian persecution in China for the sole purpose of sucking up to the Chicoms so they will buy Boeing Jets and sell us cheap consumer goods.

Of course it was a publicity stunt for the Chicoms.
Moscow used to have ONE protestant church, kept open for the same reasons.
But going there sends a message to the CHINESE Christians, that the president is on their side; and forces the Chinese government to have to state that religious belief is officially permitted--a tool which Chinese believers can
use to try to expand their own freedom.
It's only a tiny opening of a door, but it's a start; and more than the State Dept. would have wanted (they would probably prefer to avoid the topic altogether, for fear of embarrassing their hosts).