bbc - Wednesday, 4 April, 2001, 18:00 GMT 19:00 UK

America 'regrets' Chinese pilot's death

China wants the US to end surveillance flights The United States Secretary of State Colin Powell has expressed regret over the death of the Chinese pilot killed when his fighter was in a collision with a US spy plane on Sunday.

Mr Powell called the incident "a tragic accident" - but stopped short of issuing the full apology demanded by Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Earlier on Wednesday, Pentagon officials said the crew of the spy plane, who remain in Chinese custody, had managed to destroy sensitive data before they were detained.

The BBC Beijing correspondent says that, with each passing hour, the US air crew look increasingly like hostages and the potential grows for serious long-term damage to Sino-American relations.

President George W Bush, for his part, has demanded the early release of the American plane and its 24 crew members.

The US Navy EP-3E Aries II electronic surveillance aircraft landed on Hainan Island after being damaged in the collision off southern China.

The Chinese fighter aircraft crashed into the sea and its pilot is missing, presumed dead.

Crew members of the American plane are understood to have told US military attache Brigadier General Neal Sealock about the destruction of the top secret information when they met him on Tuesday.

Sensitive information

This allays fears in the US that American codes might fall wholesale into Chinese hands - but it is unclear whether all sensitive information was actually destroyed.

And, as the standoff continued, the White House reiterated its refusal to give the apology demanded by China.

A spokesman said the US Government did not understand the reason for an apology. The plane had been in international airspace and the crew had done nothing wrong.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan summoned the US ambassador in Beijing, Joseph Prueher, and told him that the US was "committing repeated errors".

"The Chinese people are extremely dissatisfied about this," he said.

He repeated President Jiang's calls for an American apology.

The Chinese president has now left on a 12-day official tour of Latin America, which observers say may indicate that China is not determined to bring an early conclusion to the crisis.

American diplomats who visited the crew for the first time on Tuesday said they were in good health. They are trying to arrange further meetings with them.

The four US diplomats who are now on Hainan Island were seen buying soap and other supplies in local shops.

Taiwanese concerns

Taiwan on Wednesday broke its silence on the stand-off, urging Washington to supply the high-tech weapons, including Aegis naval destroyers, which it says it needs to defend itself against China.

Prime Minister Chang Chun-hsiung said Taiwan's interests should not be sacrificed in any deal to resolve the dispute between the two countries.

Mr Bush has meanwhile been stepping up pressure on China.

"This accident has the potential of undermining our hopes for a fruitful and productive relationship between our two countries," he said.

"To keep that from happening, our servicemen and women need to come home."

Mr Bush's national security team has a range of options open to it if China does not release the crew quickly.

These include:

Withdrawal of US diplomats from Beijing Cancellation of military liaison Cancellation of President Bush's planned visit to China in October Bringing pressure to bear on China's entry to the World Trade Organisation

As they consider their next move, yellow ribbons - a popular symbol indicating support for those held overseas - have been tied to

-- Anonymous, April 04, 2001

Answers

Wrong message body, dear.

-- Anonymous, April 04, 2001