Chinese intelligence officers have found more than 20 bugging devices on a US-made jet being delivered to its president, Jiang Zemin, it has been claimed.
The tiny devices in the premier's official aircraft were found in several places, including a lavatory and in the headboard of the presidential bed. The discovery on an American-made Boeing 767 raises further controversy between the US and China following last year's clash over a collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a US spy plane.
The Chinese pilot died and a long wrangle ensued as America tried to get its own aircraft back. President George W. Bush is due to meet his Chinese counterpart for a planned summit in Beijing next month.
A report in the Financial Times said it was unclear when the aircraft was fitted with the bugs, which were small and operated by satellite. The aircraft was made at the Boeing factory in Seattle and then fitted with VIP equipment and upholstery by another firm. The plane was under surveillance by Chinese officials throughout, according to the paper.