President Bush today pressed China to allow more religious and political freedoms to its people and held up Taiwan as the model of a free and democratic society in Asia.

Speaking in Japan ahead of his visit to China on Saturday, Mr Bush said the world's most populous nation was an example of a society that had started but "not yet completed the journey" towards freedom.

"As China reforms its economy, its leaders are finding that once the door to freedom is opened even a crack, it cannot be closed. As the people of China grow in prosperity, their demands for political freedom will grow as well," said Mr Bush in a speech in Kyoto.

The President went on to eulogise Taiwan, the autonomous island that has enjoyed de facto independence from China for more than 50 years, largely because of American support. Until 1979, Washington recognised Taipei as the capital of China.

"Modern Taiwan is free and democratic and prosperous. By embracing freedom at all levels, Taiwan has delivered prosperity to its people and created a free and democratic Chinese society," said Mr Bush, who also praised Japan as "a pillar of stability and security for the region".

Mr Bush coupled his demand for a greater personal freedoms in China with a call for the country to open its economy to foreign competition. "China needs to provide a level playing field for American businesses seeking access to China’s market," said Mr Bush. China currently enjoys a $170 billion trade surplus with the United States.

Asked by reporters later whether he was suggesting that China emulate Taiwan, Mr Bush said his message was "universal" and he was "not necessarily trying to compare one system to another".

"What I say to the Chinese, as well as others, is that a free society is in your interests," said Mr Bush, who answered questions at a joint news conference with Junichiro Koizumi, the Japanese Prime Minister.

Mr Bush arrives in Beijing on Saturday and is expected to underline his call for broader religious freedoms by worshipping at one of the five officially recognised Protestant churches in the city.

Today he said that "the people of China want more freedom to express themselves to worship without state control, to print Bibles and other sacred texts without fear of punishment."

On November 8, the US State Department published its annual International Religious Freedom Report, which listed China, along with Burma, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Vietnam as "countries of particular concern" for severe violations of religious freedom. The same seven countries made up the list in 2004.

The Chinese Foreign Minister brushed off Mr Bush’s comments: "We have to work hard and not pay attention to those people who talk about this or that, upsetting our sense of self, especially when it comes to our love of the motherland," Li Zhaoxing told reporters.

Japan was Mr Bush’s first stop on a week-long, nation-hopping visit to Asia that will be dominated by US trade relations with China trade and the threat of avian flu.

The President, who is beset by low approval ratings and domestic difficulties, flew to South Korea today to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Pusan.

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