LETTERS: WITH SATELLITES, WHY DO WE NEED TO BUZZ CHINA?

To the editor:

Regarding the U.S. reconnaissance plan which was buzzed, cut off, damaged and forced down by an interceptor belonging to the People's Republic of China: The United States claims the spy plane was in international air space. The Chinese obviously considered the flight's proximity to their territory to be a provocation.

When we have satellites with optical devices that can read license plates and heat sensors that can tell if a car's engine has been running recently, I do not see the point to these flights except as an infantile way of tweaking Chinese pride.

In the Contra war, the United States mined the harbor at Cor into, Nicaragua. The Nica-raguans took steps to complain to the World Court. The United States discounted in advance the court's jurisdiction. Perhaps the United States' strident invocation of international law during the China situation would ring less hollow if the United States itself were more a respecter of international law.

DONN S. MILLER

Tamms, Ill.