GREETINGS,
Gates leaves Wednesday for an around-the-world trip that will take him to countries in Asia and Europe, but aides said China has explained that this is not a convenient time.
Beijing didn’t elaborate, but China leaders were angered by the Obama administration’s recent decision to go ahead with arms sales to Taiwan worth more than $6 billion.
Gates will spend the weekend meeting with defense officials from every other major Asian power during a security conference in Singapore.”