US to continue spy flights after jets ‘pursued’ by China over Taiwan

Malcolm Moore
The Telegraph
July 26, 2011

Taiwan’s defence ministry said it sent two F-16 fighters to intercept the Chinese Sukhoi-27 jets near the central line across the 113-mile wide Strait in late June, the first such incursion for 12 years.

The ministry said that the two Chinese jets quickly turned around. A spokesman added that he believed the incident was “an accident” and that Taiwan had been “in full control” of the situation.

China has long objected to US reconnaissance of its coastline, especially since a US spy plane and a People’s Liberation Army jet collided in 2001 near Hainan island, killing the Chinese pilot. The crew of the US plane was detained for 11 days in a major diplomatic row.

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This article was posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 9:41 am

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