Bush attends religious service in Beijing church

The US President George W. Bush attended a religious service in a Chinese Protestant church early Sunday morning, the first item on his agenda of 40-hour China tour.

On a Sunny winter day, Bush, together with his wife Laura, came over to the Gangwashi church, located on the bustling Xisi street in downtown Beijing.

Bush is the third US president to visit Chinese church, following his father in 1989 and Bill Clinton in 1998.

Bush was doing chorale service and praying with over 700 Chinese followers. Yu Xinli, president of the Beijing Christian Council, and Pastor Du Fengying presented Bush with a Bible in Chinese and English.

The Gangwashi church, 403.5-square-meter large, was established in 1922, and was rebuilt in 2004. The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the church in March.

China has 16 million Christian followers and 50,000 Christian churches and religious places, according to statistics of the State Administration of Religious Affairs.

Bush will have talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao after visiting the Gangwashi church.

Source: Xinhua