WASHINGTON - Republican White House hopeful John McCain said Thursday that US President George W. Bush should consider skipping the opening of the Beijing Olympics "if Chinese policies and practices do not change."
"I believe President Bush should evaluate his participation in the ceremonies surrounding the Olympics and, based on Chinese actions, decide whether it is appropriate to attend," the Arizona senator said in a statement.
"It does no service to the Chinese government, and certainly no service to the people of China, for the United States and other democracies to pretend that the suppression of rights in China does not concern us. It does, will and must concern us," he added.
"If Chinese policies and practices do not change, I would not attend the opening ceremonies."
China's government has faced international condemnation in the wake of deadly unrest and a military crackdown in Tibet, with several government leaders considering a boycott of the summer Games' opening ceremony in August.
One of McCain's potential Democratic adversaries in the November election, Hillary Clinton, has already called for Bush to boycott the opening ceremony.
chr/mlm/mdl
04/10/2008 17:59 GMT