News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: VOA News Summaries

Date: April 02, 2001

"DATE=4-1-01
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA/U-S JET (L-only)

NUMBER=2-274381

BYLINE=DAVID MC GUFFIN
DATELINE=BEIJING

INTRO: A U-S Navy reconnaisance plane has been forced to land in southern China

following a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet. David McGuffin has this report from Beijing.

TEXT: The Navy says a maritime patrol aircraft was on a routine mission over

the South China Sea when it was intercepted by two Chinese fighter jets - one of which collided with the Navy plane.

After issuing a mayday (emergency) call, the navy aircraft landed on the southern

Chinese island of Hainan.

A Navy spokesman at Pacific Command in Hawaii says none of the personnel on

board the American plane was injured.

It is not yet clear if the collision was an accident or if the Chinese jet was trying to bump the U-S aircraft.

But the Navy spokesman stressed the U-S plane was in international airspace when the incident occurred. The Chinese jet involved reportedly did not crash.

The U-S government has contacted its counterparts in Beijing to ensure the Navy personnel and their plane are treated in accordance with international law and allowed to leave as soon as repairs are completed.

The Chinese military is so far declining to comment.

This incident happens as relations between China and the Bush administration are off to a rocky start, largely over U-S plans to sell modern weapon systems to Taiwan. China considers the island a renegade province, and fiercely opposes the sales.

President Bush is expected to make a decision later this month about which weapons to sell to the Taiwanese government. (Signed)

NEB/DMcG/PFH"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DATE=4/1/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=CHINA/U-S JET (L-UPD)

NUMBER=2-274390

BYLINE=DAVID MC GUFFIN

DATELINE=BEIJING


INTRO: China is saying a U-S Navy plane caused a collision with one of its military aircraft off the country's southern coast. David McGuffin reports from Beijing.

TEXT: China says a U-S Navy reconnaissance plane veered into one of its fighter jets over the South China sea, causing the jet to crash. A statement from the Chinese foreign ministry says a search is underway for the Chinese crew.

The U-S Navy plane made an emergency landing in Chinese territory. All of its crewmembers are reported to be safe.

The Chinese version of events is markedly different from that of the U-S Navy. Navy spokesmen say the American aircraft was on a routine mission in international airspace when it was intercepted by two Chinese fighter jets - one of which collided with the U-S plane.

The U-S government has contacted its counterparts in Beijing to ensure the Navy personnel and their plane are treated in accordance with international law and allowed to leave as soon as repairs are completed.

The incident occurred while relations between China and the Bush administration are off to a rocky start, largely over U-S plans to sell modern weapon systems to Taiwan. China considers the island a renegade province, and fiercely opposes the sales.

President Bush is expected to make a decision later this month about which weapons to sell to the Taiwanese government. (SIGNED)

NEB/DMc/RAE

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DATE=4-2-01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-274408

TITLE=CHINA U-S PLANE (L)

BYLINE=JIM RANDLE

DATELINE=BEIJING


INTRO: The Ambassador to Beijing says it is unacceptable - that U-S officials have not been allowed to contact the crew of a U-S military plane that made an emergency landing Sunday in southern China. V-O-A's Jim Randle reports from Beijing that the plane collided with a Chinese jet in international airspace.

TEXT: The damaged U-S Navy electronic-surveillance plane landed on China's Hainan Island after smashing an engine and damaging a wing in a collision with a Chinese fighter plane. Officials of both countries say the collision occurred in international airspace about 100-kilometers from the island.

The 24-member U-S crew radioed that they had landed without injury Sunday, but has not been heard from since. The Chinese pilot is still missing.

U-S diplomats traveled to Hainan Island, but Ambassador Joseph Prueher said they were not able to talk to the Americans. He says Beijing does not have any legal basis to hold the crew or the plane.

/// PRUEHER ACT 1 ///

It is inexplicable and unacceptable and of great concern to the most senior leaders in the United States government, that the aircrew has been held incommunicado over 32-hours. And the Chinese have so far given us no explanation for holding the crew.

/// END ACT ///

The ambassador says the fate of crew has the close attention of the highest levels of the American government, and the issue has the potential to hurt relations between Washington and Beijing.

/// PRUEHER ACT 2 ///

I think the downside potential (risk) if we do not resolve this well is fairly high, because it can bleed over into some other areas.

/// END ACT ///

Washington and Beijing are currently arguing over possible U-S arms sales to Taiwan, U-S proposals to develop ballistic missile defenses, and China's human-rights practices.

China and the United States blame each other for the collision that occurred as two Chinese fighter jets intercepted and watched the U-S plane, which is designed to eavesdrop on military communications.


Ambassador Prueher, a pilot and retired admiral, says the U-S planes have not stepped up their surveillance flights near China lately. But Chinese pilots prompted U-S complaints to Beijing by flying very close to the American surveillance planes in recent months. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/JR/JO/RAE"