Bush renews allegations against Chinese

President Bush has underlined American concern at reports that Chinese civilian and military workers are helping Iraq improve its air defences.

Speaking after American planes attacked air defence facilities in northern Iraq on Thursday, Mr Bush said he was sending a strong message of protest to Beijing.

The Chinese authorities dismissed earlier criticism from Washington, which they said was trying to distract attention from the airstrikes against Iraq.

The Chinese workers are reported to be laying a network of fibre-optic cables which the Americans say has military implications and therefore violates the terms of UN sanctions imposed on Iraq. President Bush -- who was responding to journalists at his first formal news conference -- said he would review the current sanctions regime against Iraq, which he described as so full of holes it was like a Swiss cheese.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service