We're in discussions with the Chinese. It is now time for our troops to come home so that our relationship does not become damaged. He carefully measured his words, twice repeating the warning to Beijing while skating past reporters' questions about his options. The president was not specific about potential harm to U.S.-Chinese relations, but his advisers noted for a second straight day that support for continuing normal trade relations with China was eroding in Congress. They said the standoff also could affect the U.S. position on selling sophisticated destroyers to Chinese rival Taiwan, the future of U.S. military exchanges, Bush's scheduled trip to Beijing this fall and the administration's position on China hosting the 2008 Olympic Games Several lawmakers have canceled trips to China because of the dispute.
Republicans are particularly hawkish toward China.
Administration officials said they hoped the congressional recess that began Monday would help ease the political pressure on Bush by keeping most lawmakers out of the national spotlight. Hoping to lower emotions, the White House stressed reports that the crew was being fed and clothed well while housed in air-conditioned quarters on Hainan island in the South China Sea. The diplomats met the crew with no Chinese officials present, though they worked on the assumption that the conversations were being monitored by Beijing, U.S. officials said.