From The Washington Post:
China’s refusal to allow a U.S. aircraft carrier to dock in Hong Kong on Thanksgiving — a port call planned months in advance — was probably a response to President Bush’s appearance with the Dalai Lama last month, a longtime specialist in U.S.-China relations said Friday.
“The U.S. selling weapons to Taiwan is an old issue, and China expresses its dissatisfaction constantly on that,” said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at People’s University in Beijing. By blocking the warship and its support vessels, “China just hoped to use its reluctance, changing its attitude, to tell the United States that China is unhappy with Bush” over his decision to personally present the Congressional Gold Medal to the Tibetan spiritual leader.
The Washington ceremony marked the first public appearance by a sitting U.S. president with the 14th Dalai Lama.
This week, the Dalai Lama further infuriated Beijing by reportedly calling for his successor to be elected or picked by him without Chinese approval. [Full Text]
