Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 29, 2007

China Denies 'Misunderstanding' about US Ships
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A69354:A6F02AD83191E1606BA794336AC0D5C0E55ED32ED25AB8F6& Pentagon earlier
protested China's refusal last week to allow US warships to dock in
Hong Kong, said explanation was not sufficient The Chinese government
has denied that a "misunderstanding" led to its refusal to allow U.S.
warships to dock in Hong Kong, and has hinted it may be retaliating
for recent U.S. actions.  The Pentagon had earlier protested the
refusals and said China's explanation was not sufficient.  Daniel
Schearf reports from Beijing.

The White House quoted Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi as telling
President Bush on Wednesday that the refusal to allow several U.S.
ships to dock in Hong Kong last week was a "misunderstanding."  







Liu Jianchao But Beijing has dismissed that report.  Foreign Ministry
spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters that Yang never made the
comment. 

"This kind of report does not conform to facts," Liu said. "We have
always had U.S. military vessels visit Hong Kong following the
principles of sovereignty and the situation."

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said the Pentagon protested the
refusals this week after summoning the military attaché from China's
embassy in Washington.  Morrell said the Pentagon was not satisfied
with China's response.

"It is baffling," he said. "It is regrettable.  And we have not to
date received a sufficient explanation as to why it took place."







The Kitty Hawk and its battle group returned to Japan after being
refused entry for a port call in Hong Kong, where the ships were to
mark the Thanksgiving holidays, 27 Nov. 2007China last week suddenly
withdrew permission for a scheduled visit to Hong Kong by the USS
Kitty Hawk battle group.  Separately, permission for two U.S.
minesweepers to pull into Hong Kong during a storm was also refused
last week.

Beijing reversed itself without explanation in the case of the Kitty
Hawk group and said the ships could dock after all, but by then the
ships were already steaming back to their home base in Japan. 
Crew-members' relatives who had flown to Hong Kong to spend the
Thanksgiving holiday with their loved ones, some from as far as the
United States, were left stranded.

Liu says relations between China and the United States are quite good
overall.  But he also said Beijing is not happy that U.S. leaders met
in Washington recently with the Dalai Lama, who China considers a
traitor.  And he said Beijing is unhappy over U.S. arms sales to
Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province. 

He did not specifically say these were the reasons for the refusals,
but this was the first time a Chinese official has mentioned them in
conjunction with a discussion of the ship incidents. 




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