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06/03/2005:

"Rumsfeld Urges China to Increase Political Freedom"

SINGAPORE, June 3 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, arriving here today for a conference on Asian security, drew a sharp distinction between two of the region's major powers, predicting that ties with India would strengthen while urging China to let political freedom grow there along with its economy.

"It would be a shame for the people of China if their government did not provide the opportunities that freer economic and political systems permit," he said, describing a tension "between the nature of their political system and the nature of their economic system."

Mr. Rumsfeld, in comments aboard his plane enroute to Singapore, declined to be drawn into a discussion of North Korea's nuclear program, except to say that the Bush administration is re-examining its policy.

"It's a policy that we're reviewing, as we do understandably from time to time, as North Korea makes statements or makes announcements or does or doesn't get involved in six-party talks," he said. Those talks, aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program, have been in limbo for the past year.

The threat that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs pose to the region is expected to be a focus of the annual conference, which the defense secretary will address Saturday morning.

In a brief survey of the region before landing here, Mr. Rumsfeld said the United States has "an excellent relationship with India," but noted that China is a major purchaser of weapons on the international arms market, in particular from Russia.
Full: nytimes.com

Playing India against Russia and China. The new U.S. pipeline surrounded by four nuclear states.