China imposes tight security during U.S. technicians' inspection of spy plane

HAIKOU, China (AFX-ASIA) - China imposed strict security mesures over a visiting group of U.S. technicians in Hainan to inspect a stranded U.S. spy plane, Agence France Presse reported.	    It said plainclothes Chinese police kept reporters at bay in the hotel in Haikou, on the island of Hainan, where the team of technicians stayed overnight following their arrival for the sensitive mission. 	    The damaged EP-3 surveillance craft made an emergency landing at Lingshui air base south of Haikou on April 1 following a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet. 	    The crew had said they managed to destroy sensitive equipment as the pilot battled to get the crippled plane down, but U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged that some of its secrets had been lost to China. 	    "The crew did a good job in following their checklist to the extent they were able, under very difficult circumstances, and yet there is no question that some things were compromised," Rumsfeld told CNN. 	    He said the full extent of the damage would be known after the plane is returned to the U.S. and the debriefing of its crew is complete. 	    The U.S. technicians are to inspect the spy plane and discuss ways of returning it to the U.S.

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