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BEIJING-Chinese President Hu Jintao urged the military to "staunchly defend" national sovereignty in comments published days after a brief confrontation with a U.S. Navy ship.Hu's comments to People's Liberation Army officers, published in the official People's Daily Thursday, did not mention the PLA Navy's run-in Sunday with a U.S. Navy survey ship off the Chinese island province of Hainan.There have been no signs that Beijing wants to expand the dispute, in which China says the U.S. ship violated its sovereignty by monitoring waters in its exclusive economic zone.Washington has said its ship, the Impeccable, was in international waters.Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, visiting Washington, said Wednesday that relations were "at a new starting point and have important opportunities to develop," the ministry website (http://www.fmprc.gov.cn) reported.But Hu, who also serves as Communist Party chief and supreme military leader, made it clear that Beijing does not want to be seen as bowing to others."Vigorously advance modernisation of national defence and the military," Hu said Wednesday, speaking to PLA officers attending the annual session of the Party-run parliament."Staunchly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and provide a powerful support and assurance for protecting national development interests and broad social stability."Hu will have his first meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama when both leaders attend the G20 summit on the global financial crisis in London next month.To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah...
