Three U.S. warships arrived Friday in Shanghai for a goodwill visit as major pro-democracy demonstrations convulsed the city.
The U.S. Navy port call, only the second since the communist government was founded in 1949, came one day after Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev visited Shanghai.The warships were originally scheduled to arrive Thursday but were delayed a day, apparently because the Soviets regarded the coincidence of the port call with Gorbachev's visit a diplomatic affront.
No official explanation was given for the changed schedule.
The three vessels sailed up the Huangpu River, common waters for foreign warships at the turn of the century when foreign powers dominated Shanghai with gunboat diplomacy. Decorative flags dotted the masts and sailors lined the rails for a look at China's largest city.
Barry Matney, a press officer for the Seventh Fleet, said the command and control ship USS Blueridge, the cruiser USS Sterett and the guided missile frigate USS Rodney M. Davis will be in Shanghai until Monday.
He said the 2,500 naval personnel aboard the ships had been advised to avoid the demonstrations but were to be granted liberty to visit the city as scheduled. He said they were to be in uniform when touring the city.