Bush Counsels ‘Patience’ on China : Senators Urge More Vigorous Response to Harsh Crackdown

President Bush, hearing more calls today for further action against China, asked lawmakers visiting him at the White House to be patient as he responds to the harsh crackdown against dissidents.

The President, under increasing pressure from Congress to respond further to the Chinese government’s brutal crushing of the pro-democracy movement, met with the bipartisan group of lawmakers on another topic but then asked for “patience and forbearance” concerning the Chinese question, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) said after the meeting.

“He did not suggest that we should withhold our criticism of his policy,” Biden said, “but he made it very clear that he believes that it was appalling what was happening in China in terms of human rights, but that there was a long road that was going to have to be traveled in that relationship and we shouldn’t move precipitously.”

Biden, however, criticized Bush for his late condemnation of the actions, a charge that was echoed on Capitol Hill, as Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) and others urged more punitive actions against the Chinese government.

Senate Democratic leader Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia urged Bush to ban trade and investments in China and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said he should “take the strongest action possible--and do it now.”

‘Fresh Outrages’ Cited

“I hope the President will not need any more evidence, any more fresh outrages, to act,” Byrd said. “I hope we will not need to see any more footage of public murders of patriotic and courageous Chinese to clearly and strongly make our stand unequivocal.”

Senate Democratic leader George J. Mitchell of Maine, one of the President’s most vocal critics on the subject, attended today’s meeting but did not speak with reporters afterward.

But Helms said, “This is one of those times when I have to agree to disagree agreeably with the President.”

“At a minimum,” Helms said, “we ought to take a step and deny” economic aid to China from the Overseas Private Investment Corp.