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Flagship of US Pacific fleet set to dock in Shanghai

The flagship of the US Navy's Pacific fleet was set to dock in Shanghai yesterday for a visit that reflects warming ties between the US and Chinese militaries, as worries mount over North Korea's military ambitions.

The amphibious command and control ship USS Blue Ridge was due at the city's downtown wharf along the Huangpu River, with plans for exchanges between the two navies, and sightseeing and cultural activities for its crew of 1,000 sailors and Marines, the US consulate in Shanghai said.

The visit follows the attendance at US war games in the Pacific Ocean last week of a 10-member Chinese delegation, including three top-ranking officers -- the first-ever such exchange.

The top US commander in the Pacific, Admiral William Fallon, has sought to revive military-to-military ties that languished after a 2001 collision between a US spy plane and Chinese jet fighter.

The Blue Ridge last visited Shanghai in February 2004.

The ship, based in Yokosuka, Japan, carries a massive communications system to support the Seventh Fleet and US naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

Its visit came as South Korea's foreign minister, Ban Ki-moon, was in Beijing seeking China's help in halting North Korea's apparent plans to test a long-range missile.

Intelligence reports have said the North may be preparing a Taepodong-2, one of its most advanced missiles, at a launch site on the country's northeastern coast. The missile is believed to be capable of reaching parts of the US.

North Korea's neighbors and Washington have urged Pyongyang to heed warnings not to test the ballistic missile.
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