Joseph Kahn and Chris Buckley: China Gives a Strategic 21-Gun Salute to Visiting Uzbek President

From The New York Times:

China honored Islam A. Karimov, the president of Uzbekistan, with a 21-gun salute and a private meeting with President Hu Jintao on Wednesday, courting him shortly after his army led a violent crackdown on dissent.

The meeting underscored China’s emphasis on maintaining stability on its Western border and supporting leaders who take a hard line against Muslim extremists, as Mr. Karimov has done, as well as Beijing’s aggressive search for energy resources in Central Asia.