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U.S. ship transits Taiwan Strait after China flap
Reuters ^ | Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:50pm EST | Andy Sullivan

Posted on 11/29/2007 11:17:11 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft carrier group sailed through the tense waters between China and Taiwan after it was denied entry last week to a Hong Kong port, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.

The USS Kitty Hawk and eight accompanying ships passed through the Taiwan Strait, seen as one of Asia's most dangerous flash points, on their way back to Japan after China barred the carrier group from entering the Hong Kong harbor for a long-planned visit, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii said.

"USS Kitty Hawk carrier strike group has transited the Taiwan Strait," Navy spokesman Shane Tuck said. "This was a normal navigational transit of international waters, and the route selection was based on operational necessity, including adverse weather."

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since their split in 1949 when Mao Zedong's Communists drove Chiang Kai-shek's defeated Nationalists to the island.

Tensions between the two countries have played out in the strait several times since then, most recently when China conducted military exercises there in 1995 and 1996, prompting the United States to send warships there.

There has been speculation that China's move to block the Kitty Hawk and the other ships was related to irritation over U.S. plans to help Taiwan upgrade its missile system and a meeting between Bush and the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has told President George W. Bush that the incident is a misunderstanding, according to the White House, but a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman denied that account on Thursday.

(Edting by Philip Barbara)






TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: china; maotsetung; navair; peking; taiwan

1 posted on 11/29/2007 11:17:16 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Looks like Bush just gave the Chicoms the finger in the nicest possible way.


2 posted on 11/29/2007 11:19:53 PM PST by Centurion2000 (False modesty is as great a sin as false pride.)
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To: Centurion2000

the problem is they have us so far over the barrell that we’re flipping ourselves off...


3 posted on 11/29/2007 11:22:18 PM PST by americanophile
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The PLA is planning to build another million kilometers of roads during the next ten years or so, while Iran and its Middle Eastern friends build/acquire nuclear weapons. We've provided the engineering educations and manufacturing plants in Asia to enable those events. The American political structure for continuing such policies is stubborn, indeed, with only one candidate honestly willing to fight it (Duncan Hunter).

Enjoy the ride.
4 posted on 11/29/2007 11:24:47 PM PST by familyop (Oil will go up, and the dollar will go down.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Ain’t that something?


5 posted on 11/29/2007 11:29:10 PM PST by onedoug
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To: onedoug

I like the move!


6 posted on 11/29/2007 11:34:23 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
USS Kitty Hawk carrier strike group has transited the Taiwan Strait," Navy spokesman Shane Tuck said. "This was a normal navigational transit of international waters, and the route selection was based on operational necessity, including adverse weather."

Local news agencies soon reported that four Chinese diesel submarines surfaced within lethal kill zone of the fleet.

Unverified reports also say that some of the Chinese sub crew lined up, in formation, and 'mooned' the American warships.

The American Fleet Commander had this to say, "this is better than we thought - only four! But we will still file a very strongly worded...very..very..very..very..very..strongly worded protest with the ChiCom bastards. I mean, why they be f***in' with us? Sneakin' up on us like that...just ain't fair, man!"

7 posted on 11/29/2007 11:44:06 PM PST by LasVegasMac (Islam: Bringing the world death and destruction for 1400 years!)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Nice slap in the face of those communists! I just hope our country to declare cold war against China and close the market for unfair trade.


9 posted on 11/30/2007 12:29:59 AM PST by Wiz
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To: familyop
with only one candidate honestly willing to fight it (Duncan Hunter).

Hunter won't ever get any traction, though. He and Tancredo are allowed to be nothing more than bookends at these so-called "debates".....

10 posted on 11/30/2007 3:36:48 AM PST by Thermalseeker (Thinking of voting Democrat? Wake up and smell the Socialism!)
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To: Vroomfondel; SC Swamp Fox; Fred Hayek; NY Attitude; P3_Acoustic; Bean Counter; investigateworld; ...
SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

11 posted on 11/30/2007 4:29:36 AM PST by magslinger (cranky right-winger)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I’ll bet they (Kitty Hawk Group) had their ASW hats on.


12 posted on 11/30/2007 6:04:49 AM PST by ryan71
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