China Fires Back at US in Diplomatic Feud

Beijing blasts arms sale to Taiwan, honor for Dalai Lama
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 29, 2007 4:59 PM CST
China Fires Back at US in Diplomatic Feud
President Bush, left, and The Dalai Lama, right, look up in the Capitol Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, during the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring The Dalai Lama. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)   (Associated Press)

Tensions between the US and China took a turn for the worse today with China making clear that its refusal to let a US Navy carrier dock in Hong Kong was deliberate and not a simple "misunderstanding" as characterized by the White House. Beijing said "erroneous" US activities—including an arms sale to Taiwan—have left already iffy relations "disturbed and harmed," the AP reports.

China blocked a Thanksgiving visit by the carrier because of the arms sale, which it called a matter of "grave concern," notes the New York Times. It also objected to  Bush's visit with the Dalai Lama. “After the U.S. seriously harms China’s interests, it still asks for an embrace," said a Chinese naval captain. "There is no reason in the world for us to do so." (More China stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X