China to hungry American sailors: "Find another port"

Relations between China and the USA remind of of a popular phrase “there is a short distance between love and hate." Once, the Chinese discovered US-installed bugs onboard the plane of the Chinese leadership, and Jiang Zemin organized musical performances in the US president’s honor. We also remember perfectly well, how the US State Department criticized China for human rights violations. Washington received an adequate response from Beijing at that.

Something is happening between China and the USA. Chinese authorities prohibited U.S.S. Curtis Wilbur destroyer to enter the port of Hong Kong. The vessel needed to enter the port to replenish food and fuel reserves. Now, the sailors will have to look for another port.

Spokesman for the US consulate office in Hong Kong Barbara Zigli said that the Chinese authorities have stated no reasons the for banning of port entry for the US vessel. Most observers think that it is closely connected with Taiwan Defense Minister Tang Yao-ming’s visit to the USA. Beijing has been always suspicious of Taiwan’s international contacts, especially those with the USA.

Usually, US military vessels enter the port of Hong Kong for the replenishment of supplies. If some problems arise between China and the USA, Beijing often bans the entry of US vessels to the port. Not only the visit of the Taiwan defense minister to the USA can be mentioned here as the reason for the ban. Discrepancies between Washington and Beijing have become more and more frequent recently. China doesn't take criticism from Washington very well. The ban is just another incident in the conflict that has occurred between the parties recently.

On the whole, the accident will hardly spoil the relations between the two largest states of the world, as Washington and Beijing are interested in economic cooperation. Still, it is not ruled out that slight conflicts will take place in the future.

Oleg Artyukov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/03/26/38802.html