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The Chinese rejection of U.S. ship visits into Hon
Dean Cascio
Member Posts: 2,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
The Chinese rejection of U.S. ship visits into Hong Kong is broader
than initially reported, the Pentagon said Friday, revealing for the
first time that a third incident had occurred last week.
According to a defense official, a request for the USS Reuben James,
a Navy frigate, to make a New Year's holiday stop in Hong Kong was
formally denied by the Chinese last Thursday. The denial came the
same day the Chinese turned away the USS Kitty Hawk and five ships
accompanying it for a Thanksgiving port call.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the denial
has not been publicly announced, said the Reuben James, based in
Pearl Harbor, had made the port visit request in October.
According to the official, shortly after the Kitty Hawk was turned
away, the Chinese reversed their decision and said the ship could
enter the harbor, but by then the ship was too far out to sea. During
that notification, the Chinese also told the Navy that the Reuben
James visit was being denied. No reason was given for the refusal.
The official said the denial was both over the phone and in writing,
and added that there are no other pending requests for US ship visits
to the Hong Kong harbor.
Until now, the Navy has considered Hong Kong one of the sailors'
favorite post of call, with about 50 ship visits per year.
In addition to the Kitty Hawk and the Reuben James, the Chinese also
refused to let two Navy minesweepers enter Hong Kong harbor to escape
an approaching storm and receive fuel - an incident Navy officials
said it found far more disturbing since it violates an international
rule of the sea to provide safe harbor for vessels in trouble.
The minesweepers, the Patriot and the Guardian, were instead refueled
at sea and returned safely to their home port in Japan.
Prior to the latest three incidents, the most recent port visit
denial came in 2004.
China has hinted that Congress' honoring of the Dalai Lama and U.S.
arms sales to Taiwan triggered the problems, which have cast a new
shadow over military relations between the two countries.
The Pentagon summoned a Chinese military attache to protest the
decision, which the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike
Mullen, called "perplexing. " President Bush raised the issue with
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during their talks on North
Korea, Iran and other issues.
By * C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
than initially reported, the Pentagon said Friday, revealing for the
first time that a third incident had occurred last week.
According to a defense official, a request for the USS Reuben James,
a Navy frigate, to make a New Year's holiday stop in Hong Kong was
formally denied by the Chinese last Thursday. The denial came the
same day the Chinese turned away the USS Kitty Hawk and five ships
accompanying it for a Thanksgiving port call.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the denial
has not been publicly announced, said the Reuben James, based in
Pearl Harbor, had made the port visit request in October.
According to the official, shortly after the Kitty Hawk was turned
away, the Chinese reversed their decision and said the ship could
enter the harbor, but by then the ship was too far out to sea. During
that notification, the Chinese also told the Navy that the Reuben
James visit was being denied. No reason was given for the refusal.
The official said the denial was both over the phone and in writing,
and added that there are no other pending requests for US ship visits
to the Hong Kong harbor.
Until now, the Navy has considered Hong Kong one of the sailors'
favorite post of call, with about 50 ship visits per year.
In addition to the Kitty Hawk and the Reuben James, the Chinese also
refused to let two Navy minesweepers enter Hong Kong harbor to escape
an approaching storm and receive fuel - an incident Navy officials
said it found far more disturbing since it violates an international
rule of the sea to provide safe harbor for vessels in trouble.
The minesweepers, the Patriot and the Guardian, were instead refueled
at sea and returned safely to their home port in Japan.
Prior to the latest three incidents, the most recent port visit
denial came in 2004.
China has hinted that Congress' honoring of the Dalai Lama and U.S.
arms sales to Taiwan triggered the problems, which have cast a new
shadow over military relations between the two countries.
The Pentagon summoned a Chinese military attache to protest the
decision, which the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike
Mullen, called "perplexing. " President Bush raised the issue with
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during their talks on North
Korea, Iran and other issues.
By * C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
Comments
And let Wal-Mart figger out somewheres else to * stuf.
Doug
It's funny how we can disrespect a country - right or wrong - and then expect them to cooperate with us.Welcome to the world of international relations. It's called diplomacy, been done since the beginning of time.
However, outright denial of safe harbor for another nation's vessels is highly undiplomatic.
do we offer their ships safe harbor? I think so.
Maybe that should change, especially cargo ships.