Three Chinese Navy ships tied up in San Diego Tuesday for a four-day visit.
The frigates Yancheng and Daqing, and the oiler Tai Hu arrived at the B Street Pier and will stay until Friday, the U.S. Navy said. This is the third visit by Chinese Navy ships to San Diego in the last three years.
Crew members were being hosted by sailors from the San Diego-based cruiser USS Cape St. George. They're scheduled to take part in sporting events and cultural exchanges designed to build trust and foster cooperative relationships, according to the Navy.
One of the vessels — which one has not been specified — will be open for public tours on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The visit comes amid some tension between the United States and China over a telephone call that President-elect Donald Trump recently accepted from the president of Taiwan in violation of the protocol stemming from what has been Washington's One China policy since 1979. The Chinese submitted a diplomatic protest Saturday.
The White House said Monday it has sought to reassure China after the call. The Obama administration also warned that such contacts could undermine progress in relations with Beijing.
