Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : War -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: KLP who wrote (982)	4/1/2001 5:54:46 PM
From: KLP	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 23908

EP-3: A Highly Classified Plane: Midair Collision U.S., China Point Fingers Over Accident abcnews.go.com April 1 — Chinese fighter jets have forced down a U.S. Navy surveillance plane with 24 crew members after a collision over the South China Sea. The United States claims the Navy plane was on a routine surveillance mission in international airspace when it was intercepted by two Chinese fighter jets, bumped by one of them, and forced to land in southern China. After initial speculation that the mid-air bump was intentional, U.S. officials now say they believe the collision was an accident. The EP-3, a four-engine propeller plane, was badly damaged, thus forcing it to issue a mayday call and land at a military airport in Lingshui on Hainan Island, located in south China, officials said. China: America's Fault However, Chinese television quotes Chinese officials as saying the American four-engine propeller plane was in Chinese airspace, and the accident is America's fault. According to the reports, a Chinese jet was conducting normal flight operations south of Hainan Island in the South China Sea when the American plane suddenly appeared. They say the American plane hit the Chinese plane, which then crashed into the ocean. Searchers continue to look for the Chinese plane's pilot, the reports say. American military officials had earlier said they did not believe the Chinese plane crashed after the collision, which occurred about 9:15 a.m. local time today, or 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday. Chinese authorities said they have the American plane's 24 crew members in their custody, and that they are reserving the right to demand compensation later. American officials have said the Americans appear uninjured, and the Chinese appear to be responsive to requests to treat the flyers well. White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer said he expects the Chinese to return them promptly. "That is our expectation," he said. "That is the standard practice. We would expect them to follow it." EP-3: A Highly Classified Plane Pentagon officials have expressed concern about the situation, especially since the EP-3 plane utilizes technology that is considered more advanced than what the Chinese military uses, possibly posing a security risk. "We expect that their government will respect the integrity of the aircraft and well-being and safety of the crew in accordance with international practices, and that they'll expedite any necessary repairs to the aircraft and that they'll facilitate the immediate return of the aircraft and crew," said a Navy spokesman, Lt. Col. Dewey Ford, at Ft. Smith in Hawaii. One Pentagon source called the EP-3 plane "highly classified, the most sensitive aircraft in the U.S. inventory." The U.S. Embassy in Beijing "communicated our concern about the incident" to the Chinese government, said Col. John Bratton, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii. U.S. authorities in Washington contacted the Chinese Embassy there as well. ABCNEWS' Barbara Starr in Washington and Chito Romana in Beijing contributed to this report. Bad Time for U.S., China Friction April 1 — David Lampton, director of China studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, said this weekend's Chinese-American plane collision probably couldn't have come at a worse time. "There's a context that's not very propitious," he said. "That is, China has detained some American or American-connected academics. And that's caused friction in the relationship. In addition, the United States is in the midst of trying to decide what weapons to sell to Taiwan. And that decision should be made in the next month."