China holds diverted F-35 parts as Xi heads to Washington summit
The Pentagon is seeking the return of stealth-jet components after a UPS flight carrying them was diverted to Hong Kong, where Chinese authorities are holding them.
Published
China is holding sensitive F-35 components that were diverted to Hong Kong during shipment, and the Pentagon is working to retrieve them, according to the filing.
The parts belong to the F-35 stealth fighter and were being carried on a UPS flight bound for the United States when they were diverted. Chinese authorities are now holding the components, and the Pentagon has not said when or whether they will be released.
The episode lands a day before China's leader, Xi Jinping, is due to meet President Trump in Washington. Xi is already in the United States today. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, rare earths and artificial intelligence, and a temporary US-China trade truce that expires Nov. 10 is likely to come up as well. Treasury Secretary Russell Bessent said after meeting China's He Lifeng that the United States is open to a larger trade deal, a meeting that took place a day before Trump was set to host Xi.
The seizure undercuts that fragile détente. With talks meant to focus on broadening market access and investment, China's retention of advanced US military components signals a willingness to escalate even as both sides explore a wider deal. That raises the risk that negotiations stall or collapse, and makes a near-term extension of the trade truce less likely.