Thursday, November 29, 2007

Navy Chief Surprised at China's Refusal of Port Visit for U.S. Ships

Two of the Navy's top admirals said Tuesday that China's refusal to permit a U.S. aircraft carrier to make a Thanksgiving port call at Hong Kong was surprising and troubling.

"This is perplexing. It's not helpful," Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, told reporters in a videoteleconference from his headquarters at Camp Smith, Hawaii.

"It's not, in our view, conduct that is indicative of a country that understands its obligations as a responsible nation," he said, adding that he hopes it does not indicate a lasting blockage of port visits.

(excerpt...see http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,313244,00.html)

Hunter asks Bush for China policy meeting

Presidential hopeful Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) is pressing President Bush to call a meeting with several congressional committees to discuss policy towards China in the aftermath of Beijing’s refusal to allow a Navy aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships to dock in Hong Kong last week.

Hunter, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, asked Bush to convene a meeting “as soon as possible” with the chairmen and ranking members of Armed Services and the House panels on Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Defense Appropriations.

In a letter to Bush on Thursday, Hunter also asked the administration to invest as part of the upcoming fiscal 2009 budget “in technologies to ensure our military remains prepared to meet the challenges that we will face with a China that has become more aggressive militarily.”


(excerpt...see http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/hunter-asks-bush-for-china-policy-meeting-2007-11-29.html)

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