A US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has been shadowing President Bill Clinton during his trip to China, military analysts said last night.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to dock in Hong Kong on Saturday, just hours after the commander-in-chief's departure. It has spent the past week cruising the western Pacific close enough to China in case of an emergency.
It had remained within 'striking range' of the President, said Paul Beaver of Jane's Defence Weekly.
The carrier would provide medical support for Mr Clinton, establish a command position in event of any crisis or provide security with its aircraft and troops if any threat against him arose.
A jet designed to carry the President during nuclear war has been moved to an air base in South Korea, within six hours' flying time of Mr Clinton.
The E-6 Tacomo airborne command post had flown into the region just before the President touched down in China, said Mr Beaver.
The US Consulate denied the aircraft carrier had anything to do with the President's trip. 'There's no relationship whatsoever,' a spokesman said.