CHINA: CHINA AGREE TO RELEASE CREW OF DOWNED U.S. SPY PLANE.

Record ID: 971574

  • Title: CHINA: CHINA AGREE TO RELEASE CREW OF DOWNED U.S. SPY PLANE.
  • Date: 11th April 2001
  • Summary: HAIKOU, HAINAN ISLAND, CHINA (APRIL 11, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. GV/MV: PRESS CONFERENCE/ JOURNALISTS (2 SHOTS) 0.07 2. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CENG CI, HAINAN PROVINCIAL FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIAL, SAYING "On receiving a letter from U.S. Ambassador Joseph Prueher, the representative of the U.S. Government in China for handling the incident of a U.S. military reconnaissance plane ramming into and destroying a Chinese military aircraft (on April 1, 2001), China's Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan pointed out that the U.S. side must take full responsibility for the incident, provide convincing explanations to the Chinese people, stop its reconnaissance activities above the Chinese coast and take measures to stop the recurrence of such incidents. Ambassador Prueher said in the letter that both President Bush and Secretary of State Powell have expressed their sincere regret over China's missing pilot and aircraft. He said on behalf of the U.S. Government that they were very sorry, he said this to the Chinese people and the family of pilot Wang Wei and that they were very sorry for the U.S. plane entering China's airspace and landing without a verbal clearance. The U.S. side also expressed its appreciation of China's efforts to see to the well-being of the American crew. Minister Tang pointed out that it is a serious incident that the U.S. military reconnaissance plane rammed into and destroyed a Chinese military plane on the morning of 1 April off the coast of China's Hainan Province, leading to the missing of the Chinese pilot, and entered China's airspace and landed at the Chinese airfield without permission. The said U.S. plane intruded into China's territorial airspace and encroached upon China's sovereignty in violation of international law and the provisions of relevant laws of China as well as the consensus that China and the U.S. reached last May on avoiding dangerous maritime military activities. Its act has thus constituted a threat to China's national security. The U.S. side must take full responsibility for the incident. It is entirely reasonable and legitimate for the Chinese side to ask for an apology to the Chinese people from the U.S. side. Minister Tang emphasized that ever since the U.S. military reconnaissance plane rammed into and destroyed a Chinese military plane, the Chinese side has all along handled this incident with calmness and restraint and in accordance with international law and the provisions of relevant laws of China. The competent departments in China have, out of humanitarian considerations, treated the twenty four crew members of the U.S. reconnaissance plane well and arranged for their meetings with U.S. diplomatic and consular officers. He said he noted that the U.S. side expressed in the letter its appreciation to the Chinese side for all this. He told Ambassador Prueher that the Chinese side understands the American people and the families of the crew are eagerly looking forward to an early return of the crew and a reunion with them. As the U.S. Government has already said (they are) "very sorry" to the Chinese people, the Chinese Government has, out of humanitarian considerations, decided to allow the crew members to leave China after completing the necessary procedures. He also pointed out that this is not the conclusion of the case involving the U.S. military plane ramming into a Chinese aircraft, causing the disappearance of the Chinese pilot, entering the Chinese airspace and landing at a Chinese airfield without permission. The two sides will continue with the negotiations on the matter and other related issues. The Chinese Government and people demand that the U.S. side provide convincing explanations to the Chinese people on this incident, stop sending aircraft to the vicinity of the Chinese coast for reconnaissance activities and take effective measures to avert the recurrence of similar incidents. The U.S. side must understand fully the seriousness of the incident, take seriously the solemn position of the Chinese side and properly handle this incident. It must not make an erroneous judgment and further damage the bilateral relations. Minister Tang finally stressed that China's sovereign independence, territorial integrity and national dignity brook no infringement. It is China's consistent position that state-to- state relations, including China-U.S. relations, must be based on such basic norms governing international relations as mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. The Chinese side attaches importance to China-U.S. relations. To develop friendly relations and cooperation between China and the U.S. serves the interests of both countries and the world at large. It is hoped that the U.S. will strictly abide by the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques and the basic norms governing international relations and will refrain from doing anything more to impair the bilateral relations. The U.S. should take a constructive attitude and work with the Chinese side to bring the bilateral relations onto the track of normal development." 1.11 3. GV: WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 1.14 HAINAN ISLAND, CHINA (APRIL 11, 2001) (REUTERS) 4. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) US AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, JOSEPH PRUEHER, SAYING "Good evening and thank you for coming out here tonight. We're pretty happy with the state of affairs. By now you will have heard President Bush announced that the US and China have come to a mutual understanding regarding the accidental collision, and the steps to resolve it, between the US P-3 and the Chinese F-8 over the South China Sea that occurred on 1st April. That understanding was conveyed to the Chinese government today, 11th April, in the form of a letter to the Chinese foreign minister, Tang Jiaxuan. The letter was a product of intense diplomatic efforts by both our Chinese counterparts and by the US. In return foreign minister Tang gave me his assurances that the US aircrew would be able to depart China promptly. The next phase of the effort to resolve this incident is the repatriation of the aircrew. I know that you are eager for details on that and concerning their departure. We are working very hard on that, but now is not the time for that. We're obvviously delighted that the aircrew is going to be going home. The United States should be very proud of that aircrew and the way that they handled a very complex and difficult and sudden in-flight emergeny to land the airplane as well as the way they comported themselves while being held here in China." 3.03 5. SV: US AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, JOSEPH PRUEHER AT PODIUM 3.08 6. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) US AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, JOSEPH PRUEHER, SAYING "From my perspective Secretary (of State) Powell's letter laying out a road map leading to resolution of the issue was probably a turning point. We'll have more to say on this tomorrow and in the days to come on the resolution of this issue . Thank you very much for covering the story and for your perseverence." 3.46 HAINAN, CHINA (RECENT) (CBS - NO ACCESS USA/CNN/INTERNET. MANDATORY ON SCREEN COURTESY CBS) 7. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF U.S. SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN 3.53 UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, CHINA (APRIL 11, 2001)(CCTV - NO ACCESS CHINA/INTERNET) 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLISH BROADCAST OF THE NEWS OF THE RELEASE OF THE US CREW 4.38 HUZHOU, ZHEIJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA (APRIL 6, 2001) (CCTV - NO ACCESS CHINA/INTERNET) 9. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF MISSING CHINESE PILOT WANG WEI 4.44 LOCATION, CHINA (FILE) (CCTV - NO ACCESS CHINA/INTERNET) 10. SCU STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF MISSING PILOT WANG WEI (2 SHOTS) 5.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2001 13:00
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  • Location: HAIKOU, HAINAN ISLAND AND UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Reuters ID: LVABWH6YKYS2E9HFX26E3QFEGHSN
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  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
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