China is still searching for the missing military airplane pilot, who parachuted out after a collision against a US surveillance plane which intruded into China's territorial airspace Sunday over the South China Sea.

To date, the authorities have sent out about 29 ships and 37 sorties of airplanes to the spot looking for the pilot Wang Wei.

Sources said that the rescuers have been net searching for the pilot despite the adverse weather condition and rough surf on the sea.

The central leadership is much concerned about the incident and pointed out that every effort should be made to save the pilot.

By press time, the search is still going on.

(Xinhua 04/04/2001)