 The United States requested that the "Yinhe" turn back to China in order to unload its alleged cargo, but China refused after conducting an investigation and determining that no chemical weapons precursors were present on the ship.At this time, the "Yinhe" had already departed China and was on its way to Kuwait.On August 8, 1993, China publicly announced that the "Yinhe" was under "intrusive surveillance" by American warships in international waters—which American officials claimed was a sign that China sought a confrontation—and declared officially that the ship did not carry any chemical weapons materials.