BBC Monday, 7 May, 2001, 13:50 GMT 14:50 UK

US resumes spy plane flights

The spy plane incident sparked a serious diplomatic dispute

The United States has carried out its first reconnaissance flight off the Chinese coast since one of its spy planes was involved in a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet on 1 April.

A Defence Department official said an unarmed RC-135 surveillance plane had taken off from Kadena Air Base on the Japanese island of Okinawa, and flown along a routine route close to the northern portion of China's coastline.

The plane's presence drew no response from the Chinese military and was not intercepted by their fighter planes, added the official speaking on condition of anonymity.

The mid-air collision sparked a serious diplomatic dispute between the two countries, and it was 11 days before the crew of the US spy plane was allowed to return home.

Beijing has demanded an end to US surveillance flights off its coast.

But Washington made it clear it intended to resume such flights off the Chinese coast and hinted that they might be escorted by US fighter jets.

However, Monday's flight was completed without an escort.

US inspection

The resumption of flights follows the inspection by US technicians of an American EP-3 aircraft which has been held by the Chinese on Hainan Island since it was forced to make an emergency landing there after last month's collision.

The technicians reported that the plane could be repaired sufficiently to fly it out of Chinese territory. Another alternative would be to dismantle it and ship it out by boat.

On Sunday, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he believed Beijing would release the $80m aircraft.

"I would suspect we'll get it back. They wouldn't have allowed an inspection team to go in there if they didn't plan to return the airplane."

US officials say the Chinese are likely to have gained valuable intelligence during the weeks they did not allow Americans to inspect it.

But the US spy plane is not the only issue straining Sino-American relations at the moment.

There was further confusion last week as the Pentagon made public an order suspending all military contacts with China. The statement was retracted two hours later and attributed to a misinterpretation of Mr Rumsfeld's intentions.

The Bush administration now says it is reviewing contacts and activities with the Chinese armed forces on a case-by-case basis.

Beijing, for its part, blasted President George Bush's plans for a US missile defence system, describing them as supremacist, and warned it could "break the present fragile global security equilibrium."

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2001