Washington and Beijing were locked in a standoff yesterday over the fate of a US spy plane bristling with top secret electronics that was forced to land in China after colliding with a Chinese fighter jet.
US diplomats flew to Hainan Island to try to win the release of 24 US air crew who were aboard the plane when it made the emergency landing on Sunday.
In Beijing, US Ambassador Admiral Joseph Prueher turned up the diplomatic heat by saying China's refusal to allow any contact with the crew so far was "inexplicable and unacceptable."
"It's inexplicable and unacceptable and of grave concern to the most senior leaders of the United States government that the air crew has been held incommunicado for over 32 hours," Prueher told a news conference.
He said he was increasingly frustrated by his inability to put a phone call through to the plane's commander and crew.
Two defense attaches from the US embassy in Beijing arrived in Haikou, capital of Hainan, to join a third diplomat already sent in from the US consulate in southern Guangzhou. The two were met by a Chinese official, jumped into a van and sped off toward Lingshui military airport on the southern edge of the island province near the city of Sanya.
The US will leave three warships in the South China Sea region to "monitor the situation," a defense official in Washington said yesterday.
"They were scheduled to transit through there, what they're doing now is moving more slowly, loitering in that area," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
The three destroyers will linger "just to monitor the situation while we've got our aircraft on the ground in Hainan," the official said.
"I wouldn't say it's a show of force," added the official, noting that US naval forces routinely operate in the region. "Their presence is a constant signal of US interest."
Earlier, a spokesman for the US Pacific Command in Honolulu bluntly warned Beijing to stay away from the EP-3, a treasure trove of military intelligence.
"The entire aircraft is considered sovereign US territory, and the Chinese are not to seize, inspect or board it without US permission," said Lieutenant Commander Sean Kelly.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
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