Crowd welcomes Chinese sailors
Greeters enthusiastically cheer the arrival of a destroyer and an oiler at Pearl Harbor
About 250 Chinese Americans waved miniature American and Chinese flags yesterday to welcome two Chinese warships.
The vessels were the first to dock at Pearl Harbor since a U.S. Navy surveillance plane was forced down in the South China Sea six years ago, and its crew imprisoned for 11 days.
Frances Goo, president of the U.S. China Peoples Friendship Association, was among the Pearl Harbor greeters, including visiting Chinese students who shouted "Huanying!" -- "Welcome!" -- as the 488-foot destroyer Qingdao docked.
Six years ago, when the destroyer made its last goodwill mission, Goo also got a chance to visit the Chinese warship.
"It was nice seeing all those sailors," Goo said of the September 2000 ship visit. "They all seemed so young."
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Rear Adm. Townsend Alexander and Rear Adm. Wang Fushan were greeted by a lion dance yesterday afternoon at Pearl Harbor. The Chinese destroyer Qingdao and oiler Hong Zehu docked at the harbor as part of a goodwill mission to the United States. The ships will be in port until Saturday. CLICK FOR LARGE
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She said Hawaii's Chinese community is anticipating this week's visit of the Qingdao, a Luhu-class guided missile cruiser, and its accompanying oiler, Hong Zehu. "We were told of it last week. Everyone is excited," she said.
The crew of the two ships will be honored at a reception Friday night at the See Dai Do Hall, Goo said.
"The aim of our visit is to enhance understanding, promote trust and enhance friendship," said Rear Adm. Wang Fushan, deputy commander of the North Sea Fleet.
The last U.S. warship to visit China was the USS Blue Ridge, which stopped in Shanghai in June.
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Supporters of the Chinese navy waved flags yesterday afternoon upon the arrival of the destroyer Qingdao and oiler Hong Zehu at Pearl Harbor.
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The first port visit by a Chinese warship since the April 2001 Hainan island EP-3 incident was in October 2003, when the destroyer Shenzhen and oiler Qinghai Hu visited Guam.
Rear Adm. Townsend Alexander, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, said that China and the U.S. share a continuing interest in stability and peace in the world.
"As we have seen with other navies throughout the world, the opportunity to interact and build friendships just helps to strengthen the bond between the countries," Alexander said.
The ships will leave for California on Saturday, either to San Diego or Long Beach, before sailing to the Canadian port of Victoria and the Philippines on their way home.
After leaving Pearl Harbor on Saturday, the Qingdao will practice communicating with U.S. warships. Off the coast of Southern California, the Chinese destroyer will participate in search and rescue exercises.
