State media quoted Hu as telling Bush that China remained opposed to formal independence for Taiwan and urged the United States to “properly handle the Taiwan issue to support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.”

“No matter what kind of changes take place in the cross-strait relations, our stance of adhering to the one-China principle and opposing ‘Taiwan independence’ secessionist activities will never change, and cannot be changed,” the official Xinhua news agency quoted Hu as saying.

Bush was quoted as saying that the U.S. was happy to see the recent improvement in cross-strait relations. Hu said China would continue to “push for the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait.”

Ties between China and Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province to be “reunified,” by force if necessary, have improved since Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou’s Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party) came to power this year.

Ma took office in March, replacing former president Chen Shui-bian, whom China had ostracized and accused of promoting formal independence for the island.

Hu said Bush’s fourth visit to China, the most by a serving U.S. president, “fully demonstrated the great importance Mr President has attached to the development of Sino-U.S. relations.”

He also congratulated Bush on the victory of US swimmer Michael Phelps, whom he called “an excellent athlete” likely to “achieve more outstanding results” in the Beijing Olympics, Xinhua said.

Bush watched Phelps in action at Beijing’s “Water Cube” aquatics center on Sunday after earlier visiting the Kuanjie Church for morning worship.

“You know, I’ve just, Laura and I just had the great joy and privilege of worshiping here in Beijing, China,” he said as he left the church.

“You know, it just goes to show that God is universal, and God is love, and no state, man or woman should fear the influence of loving religion,” Bush said.

He also met Vice President Xi Jinping, the man expected to succeed Hu as Chinese leader, following his talks with Hu.

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