The Associated Press: China Protests US Missile Fuse Mistake

BEIJING AP — China strongly protested to the U.S. on Wednesday over the mistaken delivery of fuses for long-range missiles to Taiwan, the latest incident involving arms sales to the island to roil relations between Beijing and Washington.In a statement posted on the Foreign Ministrys Web site, spokesman Qin Gang said China sent a protest to Washington expressing “strong displeasure.”

“We … demand the U.S. side thoroughly investigate this matter, and report to China in a timely matter the details of the situation and eliminate the negative effects and disastrous consequences created by this incident,” Qin said.

He reiterated Chinas long-standing demand that the United States halt all weapons sales and military-to-military contacts with Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing has claimed as its own since the sides split amid civil war in 1949.

Yea, uh, sorry about those nuke fuses. The funny part is the whole thing was a mistake. China loves to have something to distract everyone from what is going on in Tibet.

It’s true that monks and ninjas aren’t always the best of friends.  But we do have respect for one another, and I hate to see the cute little monky cry.

Lhasa (AsiaNews) – A group of Buddhist monks blocked a tour of 26 foreign journalists in Lhasa, led by the Chinese government, crying out that there is no freedom in Tibet and that the Dalai Lama is not responsible for the recent violence there.  Some of them after having cried “Tibet is not free! Tibet is not free!”, broke down in tears.

The surprise encounter occurred this morning while the group of journalists visited the Jokhang Temple. The monks interrupted the temples’ chief administrators address.  Government representatives tried to drag the journalists away.  Some of them however, succeeded in exchanging a few words with the demonstrators.

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