The White House yesterday said they were "surprised" that a Chinese official disputed their account of a conversation yesterday between President Bush and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, over the denial of entry into Hong Kong to a U.S. aircraft carrier last week.
"We are seeking clarification," said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
Mrs. Perino Wednesday said that Mr. Yang told President Bush, during an Oval Office meeting, that a misunderstanding was to blame for the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk's inability to enter port.
But a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry today denied the U.S. account.
"Reports that Foreign Minister Yang said in the United States that it was a misunderstanding do not accord with the facts," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao, Reuters reported.
"China approved the visit of the Kitty Hawk group to Hong Kong based on humanitarian reasons. The decision made by the U.S. later was up to them," Mr. Liu said.
Mrs. Perino said the White House was "surprised by that explanation."
"That was not what the president heard from the foreign minister yesterday," she said. "The president was told there was a miscommunication which could lead to a misunderstanding."
— Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times
Comments (3)
Who are you kidding, we're surprised? This is a nation that has supported genocide in Burma & we are "surprised" they turn us away. They are a brutal nation, practicing some of the most horrible human rights crimes on the planet....yet we are still holding the Olympic games in Beijing? We turn our backs on the screams of Monks being killed by the Junta & whine because they turn our ships away? Our administration & government are either completely retarded or blind. Or both.
Posted by MichelleH | November 30, 2007 5:49 PM
One aspect of this story that was quickly buried was that the Kitty Hawk Task force of several ships not docking cost Hong Kong Businesses several million dollars of business. Were I in charge, what I would do is just cross Hong Kong off the US Navy's Liberty port list for several years or until The head chinese lovingly kissed some US Navy behind very publically and to my complete satisfaction. And if that did not happen, well, they would remain off the list forever.
I agree with Ms. Michelle. We should not be going to any Olympics in China. They are the forgotten enemy that everyone uninformed declared not a Super Power at the fall of the USSR and we should not even be slightly trading with them.
Posted by Fred H | November 30, 2007 9:23 PM
Uncle Sam screwed up first, openly humuliating the Chinese by selling new weapons to Taiwan and by honoring the Dalai Lama. Whether we agree or not, these two issues concern China's core national interets. Some sort of retaliation from China is expected. So the US should not be surprised at all by the port call denial or other possible actions.
Posted by PaulZhu | November 30, 2007 10:45 PM