Agence France Presse

EP-3 Crew May be Used As "Hostages" for PLA Defector, Taiwan Scholar Says

TAIPEI, Apr 2, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) Beijing may use the 24 crew of the U.S. EP-3 spy aircraft which landed in China as "hostages" in pushing for the extradition of a defecting senior Chinese officer, a military analyst said Monday.

"Don't you feel the timing of the event was unusual to intercept a surveillance plane on a routine mission?" asked Yang Chih-heng, deputy director of the Strategic and International Studies under the private Taiwan Research Institute think-thank.

He referred to the defection in December of People's Liberation Army (PLA) senior colonel Xu Junping in New York while on a visit with a group of Chinese military officials.

Unconfirmed reports said Xu had brought with him confidential information which allowed the George W. Bush administration to have a better picture of the PLA.

"Beijing may use the plane's 24 crew as 'hostages' in seeking the return of Xu," Yang told AFP.

"The possibility must not be ruled out," he said.

In Beijing U.S. ambassador Joseph Prueher Monday demanded immediate access to the crew of the U.S. navy surveillance plane who have been held incommunicado for 32 hours since the aircraft made an emergency landing in China's southern Hainan Island following a mid-air collision.

He described the lack of communication with the crew as "unacceptable" and urged Beijing to conform with established international procedures following emergency landings that the plane not be searched, boarded, inspected or detained by the Chinese side.

One Chinese fighter jet crashed after the collision and the pilot was still missing, China's foreign ministry said.

While saying the event could be an isolated case, Yang said: "Beijing may send a clear warning signal to Washington through the aggressive attitude in intercepting the routine U.S. patrol mission."

"They may try to tell Washington the PLA is now armed with capability to counter against any attack from the U.S.," Yang said.

Taiwan's defense and foreign ministries declined to comment on the issue which they said had nothing to do with the island.

Yang said Washington may now expedite its arms sale to Taiwan, which Beijing regards as part of territory awaiting reunification.

"Washington may not sell the advanced weaponry Taipei desires in the coming arms talks but it may do so next year," he said.

Washington remains the largest arms supplier to Taiwan despite its switching of political recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon is likely to recommend selling aging Kidd-class destroyers to Taiwan this year, but not a high-tech ship-borne Aegis radar system that Beijing has said Taiwan must not acquire. ((c) 2001 Agence France Presse)

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

Answers

Let us all take the time to keep these 24 fine men and women that serve this country in our hearts and prayers for a safe return.

Let us hope that anything on board that plane which could be destroyed was before it touched down on the runway in that far away country.

Let us keep ALL the service men and women who do their duty without being able to defend themselves (just like the EP-3) in our thoughts and prayers. Let us all give thanks to them for what they do for us each and every day.

From the wife of a Navy man who is currently without protection somewhere in the Pacific.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

oops... should have been somewhere OVER the Pacific.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

How about, let us all stop buying goods marked "Made in China" until the crew is safely home? Maybe we can start a movement here: spread it all over the net. It would only take a week or so before the Chinese started to get REALLY panicky about their export income.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

And my oops:

Forgot to mention I've had you in my thoughts since this thing happened, Sheeps.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001

Old Git,

Thank you. It is hard to watch him leave every time. But times like these, it is way worse. I had just read about the plane and informed him of it just before he walked out the door.

I can't even imagine how the families of those service members feel. Must be really hell for them, cause I know it has to be worse on them than it is on me.

I'll resume my position of...

sitting by the phone.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2001