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Another Lee Kuan Yew forecast down the sewers into Changi coastal waters.
We have our giant naval base built to accommodate the US Navy carriers but it seems they are reluctant to visit Singapore anymore.
USS CVN-68 Nimitz is visiting HK right after Chinese New Year when most businesses are still closed for the festive period. Where will be the entertainment value be for the crews on shore leave?
Isn't Singapore a better choice? That the Chinese culture's tradition of closing business for 10 days during Chinese New Year in Singapore had all but confined as a quirk to history? That we have other cultures in our multi racial society to enhance the holiday experience?
I venture the reason to be is that the security considerations are just too overwhelming to be overlooked. Changi Naval Base is located almost right next to Changi Airport's twin runways. If a highjacked commercial aircraft was to make a sudden turn towards the aircraft carrier with the intention of crashing into it while making a normal approach for landing, there is practically no time for defensive counter measures. Even if defensive measures are put on high alert on a 60 secs/ 24 hrs day basis. Who wants to make the decision that the aircraft was just not facing mechanical problems and should be shot down regardless? Imagine a fully loaded A380 with nearly 500 passengers being shot out of the sky!
Asia
Home > Breaking News > Asia > Story
Feb 12, 2010
US carrier HK visit cleared
WASHINGTON - CHINA has cleared a US warship to visit Hong Kong next week, in a surprise concession by Beijing despite rising Sino-US tensions.
'We have received clearance from China for the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to visit Hong Kong in the near future,' said Matthew Dolbow, a spokesman for the US consulate in Hong Kong. 'Hong Kong is a favorite port of call for US Navy sailors, and the ship's crew is looking forward to the visit.'
At the Pentagon, Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Billy Ray Davis said, 'The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved a USS Nimitz visit to Hong Kong in the near future.'
The US warship's visit to Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, would come despite strains between the United States and China over planned US arms sales to Taiwan, Internet controls and hacking, trade and currency quarrels, along with a likely imminent visit by the Dalai Lama to Washington.
The sale of a US$6.4 billion (S$9.04 billion) arms package to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, sparked vehement criticism from Beijing, with the official China Daily saying it 'inevitably cast a long shadow on Sino-US relations.'
In addition to scaling down security relations and curtailing dialogue, Beijing has said it would sanction US firms that sell weapons to Taiwan. -- REUTERS
We have our giant naval base built to accommodate the US Navy carriers but it seems they are reluctant to visit Singapore anymore.
USS CVN-68 Nimitz is visiting HK right after Chinese New Year when most businesses are still closed for the festive period. Where will be the entertainment value be for the crews on shore leave?
Isn't Singapore a better choice? That the Chinese culture's tradition of closing business for 10 days during Chinese New Year in Singapore had all but confined as a quirk to history? That we have other cultures in our multi racial society to enhance the holiday experience?
I venture the reason to be is that the security considerations are just too overwhelming to be overlooked. Changi Naval Base is located almost right next to Changi Airport's twin runways. If a highjacked commercial aircraft was to make a sudden turn towards the aircraft carrier with the intention of crashing into it while making a normal approach for landing, there is practically no time for defensive counter measures. Even if defensive measures are put on high alert on a 60 secs/ 24 hrs day basis. Who wants to make the decision that the aircraft was just not facing mechanical problems and should be shot down regardless? Imagine a fully loaded A380 with nearly 500 passengers being shot out of the sky!
Asia
Home > Breaking News > Asia > Story
Feb 12, 2010
US carrier HK visit cleared
WASHINGTON - CHINA has cleared a US warship to visit Hong Kong next week, in a surprise concession by Beijing despite rising Sino-US tensions.
'We have received clearance from China for the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to visit Hong Kong in the near future,' said Matthew Dolbow, a spokesman for the US consulate in Hong Kong. 'Hong Kong is a favorite port of call for US Navy sailors, and the ship's crew is looking forward to the visit.'
At the Pentagon, Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Billy Ray Davis said, 'The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved a USS Nimitz visit to Hong Kong in the near future.'
The US warship's visit to Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, would come despite strains between the United States and China over planned US arms sales to Taiwan, Internet controls and hacking, trade and currency quarrels, along with a likely imminent visit by the Dalai Lama to Washington.
The sale of a US$6.4 billion (S$9.04 billion) arms package to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, sparked vehement criticism from Beijing, with the official China Daily saying it 'inevitably cast a long shadow on Sino-US relations.'
In addition to scaling down security relations and curtailing dialogue, Beijing has said it would sanction US firms that sell weapons to Taiwan. -- REUTERS
