Under an agreement between China's mainland and Taiwan Province, eight mainland hijackers were sent back from Taiwan Thursday and will be dealt with by the mainland's judicial departments according to law.
The eight consist of Zhang Wenlong, Shi Yuepo, Qi Daquan, Han Xueshu, Zhang Hai, Gao Jun, Yuan Bin and Xu Mei. Yuan and Xu are the couple who hijacked a passenger plane and flew to Taiwan on October 28, 1998.
In the past, seven mainlanders who hijacked aircraft to fly to the island province have been sent back to the mainland and punished by law.
Hijacking of civil aircraft is a serious crime and has been detrimental to the lives and property of Chinese compatriots living on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits.
The mainland has strongly demanded that the Taiwan Authorities quickly return the hijackers so as to help crack down and eliminate these kind of crimes across the Straits.
(Xinhua News Agency 06/28/2001)
