Warship ban threatens fleet visit

Beijing's refusal to grant permission for a United States warship to visit Hong Kong waters threatens to jeopardise a separate visit by a 7,000-man aircraft carrier battle group scheduled for next month, according to military analysts.

The mainland's decision to reject an application for a port visit by the destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur threatens to spiral into a series of tit-for-tat retaliations, they said. Annual exercises involving mainland, US and Hong Kong Flying Service craft also could be in doubt.

The refusal apparently was in response to Washington allowing Taiwan Defence Minister Tang Yiau-ming to attend a recent defence conference in Florida where he held talks with senior US military officials.

Beijing was angered by the visit, which marked the highest official contact between Washington and Taipei for at least 22 years since the US switched its diplomatic relations policy to recognising the mainland.

A US consulate spokeswoman said an application for the destroyer to make a routine call from April 5 to 9 had been denied by Beijing authorities last week. No reason was given for the refusal, she said.

The Curtis Wilbur, fitted with an Aegis radar system that Taiwan has been seeking from the US but which China has sought to prevent it from acquiring, has been taking part in joint exercises with South Korea.

Analysts said they were now watching whether the US would seek permission for a visit by the Japan-based aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk that had also been planned for next month.