China will decide the future of the damaged US spy plane stranded on its territory after investigating it, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said Friday in Havana.

As you well know, China is the victimized party in this incident. In conformity with relevant international and Chinese law, we are going to conduct a full investigation of this plane," Zhu said.

The United States has demanded the return of the 80 million-dollar EP-3 spy plane, which made an emergency landing April 1 on China's Hainan island following a collision with a Chinese fighter jet.

China's humanitarian release of the US plane's 24 crew members -- who left Hainan island on Thursday -- did not spell the end of the matter, Zhu said.

But he dismissed suggestions that the issue signified a return to the Cold War era, stressing China's interest in maintaining good relations with the United States.

"The world is tending toward multi-polarization; we are not going to return to the Cold War," the Chinese spokesman said.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and several top officials were in Cuba Friday as part of a 12-day tour of Latin America seeking to strengthen ties and boost Chinese influence in the region.

Jiang, who has already stopped in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, leaves Cuba for Venezuela on Sunday before heading back to China on Tuesday.

(China Daily 04/14/2001)