Hong Kong Incident

Stupid, China. Get over the Dalai Lama infraction.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao also said the U.S. was ultimately responsible for the fact that the USS Kitty Hawk didn't make a port call in Hong Kong last week.

``We feel relations are overall good, but there's been some interference,'' Liu said today during a briefing in Beijing. ``Particularly, actions by U.S. leaders, such as the meeting with the Dalai Lama and the U.S. congressional medal award'' given to the exiled Tibetan leader.

The Kitty Hawk, accompanying ships and about 8,000 crew members were scheduled to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Hong Kong. China unexpectedly denied the U.S. Navy permission to land, according to the U.S. Defense Department.

China later reversed its decision on ``humanitarian considerations,'' but the ships had already turned around, according to the Pentagon.

Liu said it was the U.S. that broke with protocol and decided not to dock in the city after permission was given for the battle group to land.

When governments swat back at other governments using these tactics, everyone looks stupid and it has unintended consequences. China doesn't stand alone in this field, but they've given me the perfect example. The merchants of Hong Kong were not pleased by their government's decision. 8,000 crew members ready to drop their Hong Kong dollars in Hong Kong restaurants and local shopping establishments was something merchants looked forward to and counted on as they have in past years. And those 8,000 service men planned on a good meal and some local bobbles.

To correct Mr. Liu, I don't believe US protocol entails hanging around begging for entry once a government has rudely rebuffed an initial request.