Taiwan leader calls for artistic freedom in China (AP)

TAIPEI, Taiwan ? Taiwan's president is calling on China to respect outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and protect his freedom of artistic expression.

President Ma Ying-jeou made the remarks Friday after viewing Ai's art exhibit at a Taipei museum.

Ai was detained in Beijing in April during a crackdown on activists. His detention sparked an outcry over China's deteriorating human rights situation. He was released in June, but is prohibited from leaving Beijing.

The art exhibit is titled "Ai Weiwei, Absent" to focus on the political significance of the artist's inability to attend.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. Ma has pushed for reconciliation with Beijing, bringing tensions between the sides to their lowest point in decades.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111125/ap_on_re_as/as_taiwan_ai_weiwei

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