# Hainan Island Incident

Ghosts of the South China Sea: China Marks 25 Years Since the Hainan Incident with Symbols of Naval Might

Commemorations at the grave of Wang Wei, the pilot killed in the 2001 US-China mid-air collision, now feature models of advanced aircraft carriers and futuristic fighter jets. These tributes symbolize China's transition from a position of perceived military inferiority to a global maritime power.