Protester Disrupts Hu Arrival Ceremony
Apr 20 4:25 PM US/Eastern
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By JENNIFER LOVEN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON

President Bush expressed personal regret to Chinese President Hu Jintao for a protest during an elaborate welcoming ceremony on the White House lawn Thursday.

The protester interrupted the ceremony by shouting to Bush to stop the Chinese president from "persecuting the Falun Gong."

Bush later addressed 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. Hu and Bush sat next to each other at an elaborate luncheon _ a departure from traditional protocol, which would have 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 Wenyi Wang, 47.

Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin said that she had been charged with disorderly conduct and that a charge of intimidating or disrupting foreign officials was also being considered.

Mackin said she had gained access to the event with a temporary White House pass and had been cleared through all the appropriate levels of security.

Stephen Gregory, a spokesman 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, a Falun Gong practitioner based in New York.

She 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.

The protester was waving a banner with the red and yellow colors used by Falun Gong, a banned religious movement in China. She kept shouting for several minutes before Secret Service agents were able to make their way to her position at the top of the camera stand. They led her off the stand.

A photographer who was standing next to the protester tried momentarily to quiet her by putting his hand in front of her mouth.

"It's hugely embarrassing," said Derek Mitchell, a former Asia adviser at the Pentagon and now an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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."

A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy said he was too busy to talk when contacted for comment on the heckling.

Gregory, the spokesman for the Falun Gong-affiliated newspaper, said, "We expected her to act as a reporter; we didn't expect her to protest. None of us had any idea that Dr. Wang was planning this."

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i would like to think she was speaking to both of those murderers.

Jimeny H. Christmas, blamed us for what???

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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'nice doggie' until you can find a rock."

Just some nut job in the grand stand. Hopefully they made her rot in a nice jail cell overnight at least.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I don't think she is a nut job, China does not have a steller record for human rights or freedom of speech. It's ironic that a women in the United States was jailed for bad mouthing a communist.

Nut job? That little show of defiance vs. no freedom of religion and systematic persecution and execution of innocent civilians? Let's see which is worse?

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

I consider her a nut job because one shouldn't go shouting their personal views during state cerimony's. It just shouldn't be done, not the place.

China has a horrible track record with regards to human rights. We should pressure them along with the rest of the world to shape up in this area.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

If you understand the Chinese a bit, it's entirely possible that they might blame the admistration for this little fiasco. GWB and company unable to control a simple gathering of the press to prevent embarrassment to the visitor.............hmmmm...............not that I blame George however........but the Chinese might.

I'm glad someone else acknowleges the communist sentiment. I consider China an enemy of the US and the rest of the free world. I applaud that women's courage to speak out. China did little to appease or address any of the concerns this meeting was meant to accomplish. Hell, why should they. Our economy is ever so reliant on their industrial might now, and it's in their best interest to watch America flounder so they can gain strength. Iraq, Iran, N. Korea, a big laugh for them at our expense. They are sitting and watching for the day when it's their time to be the dominant super power and us Americans are at their disposal. At a time when were trying to spread democracy to the world, were in bed with the world's largest communist country funding their growth with America's dollars.

The free uncensored press. Screw those communist bastards.

China isn't really communist anymore guys, they are also not our enemy.

Parinoid, I'd rather keep China as a nice big trading partner and friend. Why fight when we can make so much money off eachother.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

How far you going to get with that line........................

Gotta disagree with you, they are a communist goverment. Maybe some reforms in the business sector, but still under the control of the goverment. No free elections, no freedom of religion, no freedom of speech, no opposing political parties. Paranoia can be good, it makes you stay alert and mindful of what can happen when you doze off.

Which part?

.......the "screw those communist bastards" part...........