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31 December 2002 |
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http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021227-131928.htm |
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A Chinese jet fighter recently came within 300 feet of a U.S. EP-3 electronic intelligence-gathering aircraft near the coast of China. It was the second time in two months that a Chinese jet came close to a U.S. reconnaissance flight in international airspace. The incident coincided with the recent visit to China by Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. Adm. Fargo visited China as Washington and Beijing resumed military-to-military exchanges that were cut off last year. The intercept followed the mid-November intercept of another EP-3 flight. Two F-7 jets tracked the EP-3 as it flew in international
airspace and came within 250 feet of the U.S. aircraft. On April 1, 2001, a Chinese F-8 jet collided with a U.S. EP-3 over the South China Sea, causing the Chinese jet to
crash and nearly causing the deaths of 23 Americans on the EP-3. The U.S. plane made an emergency landing at a Chinese air base, where they were held prisoner for 11 days
before being released.
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