A US aircraft carrier arrived in Hong Kong Wednesday amid heightened tension between Washington and Beijing over arms sales to Taiwan and President Barack Obama’s plan to meet the Dalai Lama.
The stop by the USS Nimitz, one of the world’s largest warships, came only weeks after China said it would suspend military and security contacts with the United States over Washington’s 6.4-billion-dollar arms package for Taipei.
It also coincides with a trip to Washington by exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama for a long-awaited meeting with Obama, a visit that has infuriated Beijing.
Rear Admiral John Miller, commander of the carrier, said China and the United States could work together on areas such as maritime security even if they did not agree on other issues.
“There are a lot of areas where nations that don’t always agree on a variety of issues can find agreements,” he told a press conference held on the ship.
“To ensure stability in the maritime environment, any nation can be part of that.”
Asked about the significance of the port call amid simmering Sino-China tension, Miller said: “For us, this is a routine port visit. I don’t know (if) this is any different from any other visit we have made.”
More than 5,000 sailors from the carrier and its accompanying fleet will be sent ashore for sightseeing and community service projects during the four-day visit, the statement said.
The US State Department said last week the visit would boost ties between the people and militaries of the two countries.
“We think it is an important part of not only our outreach and engagement with the Chinese people but an important dimension of our military-to-military relationship,” department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters in Washington.
Beijing has said the arms package for Taiwan violates a US pledge to reduce weapons sales to the island, which China considers part of its territory awaiting reunification.
