China Denies American Naval Group Entry to Hong Kong

The Pentagon, the United States Department of Defense, announced on Friday that China has prevented an American naval group from docking in Hong Kong. Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesperson, stated that China's refusal for the American naval group to dock in Hong Kong occurred while the USS Bulkeley was present in the port. Reuters reported that the naval group, which China has barred from entering Hong Kong, is commanded by the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and is patrolling the South China Sea. According to the spokesperson of the U.S. Department of Defense, the refusal for permission comes at a time when this naval group has had several successful visits to Hong Kong in the past. However, a U.S. Navy official stated that China deemed a renewed visit by the American naval group to Hong Kong 'inappropriate' at this time. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not provide an explanation for its opposition to the presence of the American naval group in Hong Kong, but stated that China usually considers past requests from the U.S. on a case-by-case basis, taking its sovereignty into account. Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997 when its sovereignty was transferred to China. Although Hong Kong is a highly autonomous region, it is under Chinese sovereignty. The U.S. and China have extensive economic and political cooperation, but disputes such as the contested islands in the South China Sea cast a shadow over the relations between the two countries. The U.S. supports its allies in East Asia, such as Japan and South Korea, which are regional rivals of China.