The Collision of the Chinese Interceptor and the US EP-3E in Relation to Air Defense Identification Zones in the Western Pacific

I. Background

The following countries have defined ADIZ's west of Hawaii:

Indonesia (Island of Java)

The Philippines

United States (Aleutian Islands, to 170 deg. E. longitude)

United States (Guam)

Taiwan

Japan

South Korea (including part of the territory of N. Korea to 39 deg. N. latitude)

It is noteworthy that all of these countries are in the US orbit.

Countries without ADIZ's in this region are:

New Zealand

Australia

Russia

China

Vietnam

Cambodia

Most countries in the region define a Flight Information Region (FIR). FIR's are established to assist aircraft in need of information related to the safe conduct of flight and to provide assistance in emergencies. The only two countries in the region who do not provide this service are Russia and China, except for the Hong Kong FIR. This is probably indicative of the fact that they have not installed the radio equipment needed to provide this service.

The portion of the Composite North Pacific Route Chart (Edition of 22 March 2001) from Hainan to Taiwan shows the northwest corner of the Philippine ADIZ , all of the Taiwan ADIZ, a small part of the Japan Outer ADIZ, and a small arc of the Japan Inner ADIZ. The thick magenta line hugging the coastline of China is probably at the 12 mile limit although the scale of the map is too small to judge this accurately. The note at the top of the chart refers to the area on the Chinese mainland side as "NON FREE FLYING TERRITORY" with the ominous warning that, "AIRCRAFT INFRINGING ON THE NON FREE FLYING TERRITORY MAY BE FIRED ON WITHOUT WARNING." East of Hainan is an unidentified FIR provided by Vietnam. South of Hainan is the Ho Chi Minh FIR also provided by Vietnam. Southeast and east of Hainan is the Hong Kong FIR.

II. The Collision and Subsequent Events

Based on the information we have so far, the wording of the official Chinese objection contains the correct sequence of events in the incident. As published by the Chinese Embassy in the US, this is

"The US plane rammed into and destroyed the Chinese plane resulting in the missing of the Chinese pilot and then entered China’s airspace and landed in China’s airfield without permission."

Aside from the question of who caused the collision, this statement says that the collision occurred outside China's airspace. The Chinese complaint is that a US military airplane entered the "non-free flying territory of China" without permission. And this is certainly true.

Based on the warning on the map, the Chinese would have been within their rights if they had shot down the EP-3E as it entered the non-free flying territory. The surviving interceptor aircraft landed at Lingshui Airbase 7 minutes before the damaged EP-3E. This aircraft was in a position to wait for the EP-3E as it entered the non-free flying territory and to shoot it down. Thus this outcome was not only a distinct possibility, it was a certainty if the Chinese military controller of the interceptor had ordered it. No evasive action by the damaged EP-3E was possible.

(Rita Baldegger, China correspondent for Neues Deutschland cites a report that appeared in the Hong Kong South China Morning Post as follows, "Based on Chinese sources, the South China Morning Post reports that the pilot of the surviving Chinese fighter wanted to shoot down the American plane after its collision with the aircraft of his comrade. He requested permission by radio to do so, but ground control refused it." Footnote added 7:45 AM PDT, 4/18/01.)

Given the mission of the EP-3E and China's strong objection to being spied on, it is a measure of the restraint of the Chinese military that the incident ended the way it did.

III. Where should we go from here?

The answer seems rather obvious. China should join the rest of the countries in the western Pacific and, based on the principle of reciprocity, declare an ADIZ that it considers will give it reasonable protection from intrusions.

In a world in which countries respected each other and granted to them what they expect for themselves this wouldn't be necessary. Unfortunately, the U.S. is the worlds spymaster par excellence and it shows no sign of changing. Indeed as the technology of spying becomes ever more sophisticated it becomes increasingly difficult for both individuals and countries to protect themselves from it.

Otto Hinckelmann

4:30 P.M. PDT

April 17, 2001