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{{Infobox Military Conflict |
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|conflict=Hainan Island incident |
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|caption=The [[EP-3E Aries II]] on the ground on [[Hainan Island]] |
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|partof= |
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|date=[[April 1]], [[2001]] |
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|place=[[Hainan Island]], [[China]] and the [[South China Sea]] |
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|result= |
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|combatant1=[[Image:Flag of China.svg|22px]] [[China]] |
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|combatant2={{flagicon|United States}} [[United States]] |
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|commander1= |
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|commander2= |
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|strength1=2 [[Shenyang J-8|J-8IIM]] aircraft |
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|strength2=1 [[F-14 Tomcat|F-14A Tomcats]] |
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|casualties1=1 J-8 destroyed, pilot killed |
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|casualties2=1 EP-3 damaged and unflyable, later recovered, crew survived |
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}} |
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The '''Hainan Island incident''' was the [[April 1]], [[2001]] collision between a [[United States Navy]] [[EP-3E]] |
The '''Hainan Island incident''' was the [[April 1]], [[2001]] collision between a [[United States Navy]] [[EP-3E]] spy-plane and a [[People's Liberation Army Navy]] [[Shenyang J-8|J-8IIM]] [[fighter jet]] that resulted in an [[international incident]] between the [[United States]] and [[People's Republic of China|China]]. |
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The EP-3E, assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) had been operating about 70 miles (110 km) away from the Chinese island of [[Hainan]], when the craft was intercepted by two J-8IIM fighters. EP-3s are highly sophisticated spy-planes that can pick up information while operating in international waters. This was probably what prompted the Chinese government to send two J-8s to investigate its actions. A collision resulted between the wing of the EP-3E and one of the J-8s, which caused the death of the J-8's pilot, [[Wang Wei (pilot)|Wang Wei]], while the EP-3E was forced to make an emergency landing on Hainan. |
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⚫ | The international status of the incident's location is a large source of controversy; the Chinese claimed it as part of their "air territory" where the US claimed it was "international airspace" as per UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The dispute is also mired in controversy of the EP-3's earlier overflight of various South China Sea islands which are |
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⚫ | The international status of the incident's location is a large source of controversy; the Chinese claimed it as part of their "air territory" where the US claimed it was "international airspace" as per UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The dispute is also mired in controversy of the EP-3's earlier overflight of various South China Sea islands which are traditionally recognized as Chinese. |
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== In the air == |
== In the air == |
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⚫ | At about 09:15 local time, toward the end of the EP-3's six hour mission, two Chinese J-8's approached the EP-3, about 70 miles (110 km) away from the Chinese island of Hainan. One of the J-8, Wang's fighter, collided with the [[surveillance aircraft]]. The J-8 was cut in half, while the nosecone and a propeller of the EP-3 were severely damaged. |
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⚫ | At about 09:15 local time, toward the end of the EP-3's six hour mission, two Chinese J- |
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Wang ejected after the collision, but was never found and declared dead. Meanwhile, the EP-3E made an emergency landing |
Wang ejected after the collision, but was never found and declared dead. Meanwhile, the EP-3E made an emergency landing at the Chinese military airfield in Hainan. |
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=== Cause of collision === |
=== Cause of collision === |
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The cause of the collision and the assignment of blame is a matter of dispute. The American government claimed that one of the Chinese jets bumped the wing of the |
The cause of the collision and the assignment of blame is a matter of dispute. The American government claimed that one of the Chinese jets bumped the wing of the EP-3E, while the Chinese government claimed that it was the American plane that swerved into the flight path and rammed the J-8. None of the information in the [[black box]]es of either plane, both held by the Chinese government, was made public, so the matter is still disputed. |
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== On the ground == |
== On the ground == |
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⚫ | After landing, the U.S. aircraft crew proceeded to destroy sensitive equipment onboard the aircraft such as listening devices, as per U.S. Navy protocol. After completing these procedures, they disembarked from the plane. Kept under armed guard as per international rules permit when a foreign plane intrudes upon a sovereign country's territory, they were taken to a Chinese military barracks where they were interrogated. By the available information, the U.S. crew was well-treated by the Chinese government while on Hainan.<!-- The "Letter of the two sorries", delivered by the [[United States]] [[Ambassador]] [[Joseph Prueher]], made a note thanking "the [Chinese government's] efforts to see the well-being of our crew." Relevance? Also, there any sources on the treatment aside from this? --> |
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⚫ | After landing, the U.S. aircraft crew proceeded to destroy sensitive equipment onboard the aircraft such as listening devices, as per U.S. Navy protocol. After completing these procedures, they disembarked from the plane. Kept under armed guard, they were taken to a Chinese military barracks where they were |
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Three United States diplomats were immediately sent to Hainan island to meet with the crew |
Three United States diplomats were immediately sent to Hainan island to negotiate their release. The Chinese also permitted the American diplomats to meet with the EP-3E crew, which they did not have to allow. Their first opportunity to meet with the crew came the day after they landed, and they met with them three more times after that. |
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The crew of 24 was detained until [[April 11]], shortly after the U.S. issued the "letter of the two sorries" to the Chinese. |
The crew of 24 was detained until [[April 11]], shortly after the U.S. issued the "letter of the two sorries" to the Chinese. |
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The "Letter of the two sorries" was the letter delivered by the United States Ambassador [[Joseph Prueher]] to [[Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China|Foreign Minister]] [[Tang Jiaxuan]] of the [[People's Republic of China]] to defuse the Hainan Island incident in April 2001. Upon the collision between the U.S. surveillance aircraft and the [[China|Chinese]] [[fighter aircraft]], the U.S. plane made an emergency landing on Chinese territory, while the Chinese fighter pilot and his plane were lost. The delivery of the letter led to the release of the U.S. crew from Chinese custody, as well as the return of the disassembled plane. |
The "Letter of the two sorries" was the letter delivered by the United States Ambassador [[Joseph Prueher]] to [[Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China|Foreign Minister]] [[Tang Jiaxuan]] of the [[People's Republic of China]] to defuse the Hainan Island incident in April 2001. Upon the collision between the U.S. surveillance aircraft and the [[China|Chinese]] [[fighter aircraft]], the U.S. plane made an emergency landing on Chinese territory, while the Chinese fighter pilot and his plane were lost. The delivery of the letter led to the release of the U.S. crew from Chinese custody, as well as the return of the disassembled plane. |
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The letter stated that the [[United States]] was "very sorry" for the death of Chinese pilot [[Wang Wei (pilot)|Wang Wei]], and |
The letter stated that the [[United States]] was "very sorry" for the death of Chinese pilot [[Wang Wei (pilot)|Wang Wei]], and also apologized for entering Chinese airspace and performing the emergency landing without authorization. |
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[[Image:Ep3 crew.jpg|thumb|The EP3 crew lands in [[Hawaii]]. (Pictured saluting is U.S. Air Force [[Senior Airman]] Curtis Towne.)]] |
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The letter itself was written in [[English language|English]]; an official translation into [[Chinese language|Chinese]] was not offered by the U.S. government. |
The letter itself was written in [[English language|English]]; an official translation into [[Chinese language|Chinese]] was not offered by the U.S. government. |
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== Aftermath == |
== Aftermath == |
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The crew returned to the United States via Hawaii after their release on April 11. The plane |
The crew returned to the United States via Hawaii after their release on April 11. The plane was not returned to U.S. custody until [[July 3]]. The Chinese military did board the plane but it is not known if it retrieved any sensitive information, or how effective the crew's destruction of the onboard technology was. Killed J-8 pilot Wang Wei was hailed as a hero in the People's Republic of China, while the EP-3's pilot was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]] for heroism. |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
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[[Category:2001 in China]] |
[[Category:2001 in China]] |
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[[ja: |
[[ja:?????]] |
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[[zh:2001 |
[[zh:2001???????]] |
Revision as of 02:16, 22 October 2007
The Hainan Island incident was the April 1, 2001 collision between a United States Navy EP-3E spy-plane and a People's Liberation Army Navy J-8IIM fighter jet that resulted in an international incident between the United States and China.
The EP-3E, assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) had been operating about 70 miles (110 km) away from the Chinese island of Hainan, when the craft was intercepted by two J-8IIM fighters. EP-3s are highly sophisticated spy-planes that can pick up information while operating in international waters. This was probably what prompted the Chinese government to send two J-8s to investigate its actions. A collision resulted between the wing of the EP-3E and one of the J-8s, which caused the death of the J-8's pilot, Wang Wei, while the EP-3E was forced to make an emergency landing on Hainan.
The international status of the incident's location is a large source of controversy; the Chinese claimed it as part of their "air territory" where the US claimed it was "international airspace" as per UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The dispute is also mired in controversy of the EP-3's earlier overflight of various South China Sea islands which are traditionally recognized as Chinese.
In the air
At about 09:15 local time, toward the end of the EP-3's six hour mission, two Chinese J-8's approached the EP-3, about 70 miles (110 km) away from the Chinese island of Hainan. One of the J-8, Wang's fighter, collided with the surveillance aircraft. The J-8 was cut in half, while the nosecone and a propeller of the EP-3 were severely damaged.
Wang ejected after the collision, but was never found and declared dead. Meanwhile, the EP-3E made an emergency landing at the Chinese military airfield in Hainan.
Cause of collision
The cause of the collision and the assignment of blame is a matter of dispute. The American government claimed that one of the Chinese jets bumped the wing of the EP-3E, while the Chinese government claimed that it was the American plane that swerved into the flight path and rammed the J-8. None of the information in the black boxes of either plane, both held by the Chinese government, was made public, so the matter is still disputed.
On the ground
After landing, the U.S. aircraft crew proceeded to destroy sensitive equipment onboard the aircraft such as listening devices, as per U.S. Navy protocol. After completing these procedures, they disembarked from the plane. Kept under armed guard as per international rules permit when a foreign plane intrudes upon a sovereign country's territory, they were taken to a Chinese military barracks where they were interrogated. By the available information, the U.S. crew was well-treated by the Chinese government while on Hainan.
Three United States diplomats were immediately sent to Hainan island to negotiate their release. The Chinese also permitted the American diplomats to meet with the EP-3E crew, which they did not have to allow. Their first opportunity to meet with the crew came the day after they landed, and they met with them three more times after that.
The crew of 24 was detained until April 11, shortly after the U.S. issued the "letter of the two sorries" to the Chinese.
Letter of the two sorries
The "Letter of the two sorries" was the letter delivered by the United States Ambassador Joseph Prueher to Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan of the People's Republic of China to defuse the Hainan Island incident in April 2001. Upon the collision between the U.S. surveillance aircraft and the Chinese fighter aircraft, the U.S. plane made an emergency landing on Chinese territory, while the Chinese fighter pilot and his plane were lost. The delivery of the letter led to the release of the U.S. crew from Chinese custody, as well as the return of the disassembled plane.
The letter stated that the United States was "very sorry" for the death of Chinese pilot Wang Wei, and also apologized for entering Chinese airspace and performing the emergency landing without authorization.
The letter itself was written in English; an official translation into Chinese was not offered by the U.S. government.
Aftermath
The crew returned to the United States via Hawaii after their release on April 11. The plane was not returned to U.S. custody until July 3. The Chinese military did board the plane but it is not known if it retrieved any sensitive information, or how effective the crew's destruction of the onboard technology was. Killed J-8 pilot Wang Wei was hailed as a hero in the People's Republic of China, while the EP-3's pilot was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism.
Further reading
See also
References