Bush holds Taiwan as example to Red China

Aussiegirl

President Bush, on the first leg of his Asia trip in Japan, has laid down a bold marker to China in an advance hint of his speech there. He pointed to Taiwan as an example of a democracy where political freedom has led to greater prosperity. Bravo, Mr. President!

Bloomberg.com: Asia

President George W. Bush will say in a speech in Japan later today that China can play a more ``positive role'' in global affairs by making political reforms to match its economic progress over the past three decades.

``As China reforms its economy, its leaders are finding that once the door to freedom is opened even a crack, it cannot be closed,'' Bush will say in a speech in Kyoto, the ancient Japanese capital later today. The text of the address was released by the White House.

[...]The spread of freedom and democracy, helped by free trade and economic growth, is a dominant theme of Bush's foreign policy and that is reflected in his speech today.

``As the people of China grow in prosperity, their demands for political freedom will grow as well,'' Bush will say.

He held up the example of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan as places where economies flourished and international cooperation was enhanced because of political freedoms.