With anthems, flags and the rare landing of local PLA brass on its flight deck, the Hong Kong visit of the historic USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is highlighting the warming of Sino-US military ties. But it also remains a potent symbol of a potentially intractable problem - clear differences of opinion between Beijing and Washington over what naval activities are acceptable under international law.
Those differences were at least papered-over on Saturday, as local People's Liberation Army garrison commander, Lieutenant-General Zhang Shibo, flew on a US naval transport plane from Chek Lap Kok with other PLA and local officials and US consul general Stephen Young to land on the Vinson as it steamed towards Hong Kong.
The local garrison was also feted with a large cocktail party in one of the carrier's hangars on Monday night, all a far cry from the chill that descended on the relationship last year. PLA brass ignored invitations to board the last carrier to visit, the USS Nimitz, in February - a silent protest at fresh US arms sales to Taiwan.
As the cheers and toasts fade, the issue of the different interpretations of the international law of the sea will be one to watch. In short, the US and its allies believe a UN convention allows free passage to all vessels - including military ones - within any country's 200 nautical mile economic zone, a space Washington includes as 'international waters'. And such routine military passage includes, by its nature, surveillance.
Beijing officials, both publicly and privately, insist they will respect freedom of navigation but US surveillance is not acceptable near its coasts. It is a long-standing position - but one coming under close scrutiny as China's navy expands and US deployments also increase in response.
The region's waters are growing a lot more crowded.
