Original subtitles

3rd September, 07:20. The sky above the Taiwan Straits.

Taiwan's well-known business and political figure, Mr. Qu Xiaozhen,

is in his private plane,

flying from Taipei to Seoul, South Korea...

being hijacked.

Nobody move!

Don't move!

Hang up!

Stop crying! Be quiet!

We are the Taiwan Special Black Mission Group.

- Sit! - Keep your heads, and sit down.

Listen to our orders,

otherwise we will blow up the plane.

Nobody move!

Change course to Manila.

This plane is now... just a coffin.

Obey my order! We must fly to Manila.

Do you know what you've just done?

The only way out now is a crash-landing.

Repair the control panel, otherwise I will kill you.

It's not possible.

The plane can only manage another 15 minutes.

The nearest landing spot is the fourth area in the right front.

But that is the defence area of Beijing.

Neither of us... has a choice now.

What do you want to do?

Quick. Decide!

We can't land in the defence area of Beijing.

So we should pray!

What the hell did you shoot that for?

3rd September, 07:30.

The defence line of the Air Force,

the coastal defence garrison of the Chinese army,

discovers that a plane from Taiwan

had deviated from its route, into the air defence area.

This is the private business plane of Taiwan International Corp. Please respond!

This is the private business plane of Taiwan International Corp. Please respond!

This is the private business plane of Taiwan International Corp. Please respond!

Continue calling.

The long-distance radio is broken.

We can only wait for the Communists to find us.

Do you want to be shot down by the Communists?

You brought this upon yourself.

Continue calling.

This is the private business plane of Taiwan International Corp. Please respond!

This is the private business plane of Taiwan International Corp. Please respond!

This is the Chinese Army Air Force. Please answer!

This is the Chinese Army Air Force. Please answer!

Received!

This is the private business plane of Taiwan International Corp.

We have been hijacked.

We are the Taiwan Special Black Mission Group.

We have taken command of this plane.

The implements are badly broken,

so we must land at the fourth area of your side.

The space at the fourth area is not enough.

But we must crash-land.

Received! Good luck!

Any other demands?

On board is the chairman of Taiwan International Corp., Mr. Qu Xiaozhen.

Please inform the Taiwan authorities of the following demands.

First, they must release the leader of

the Taiwan Special Black Mission Group, Liu Tingjun, and clear his name.

Second, within six hours,

they must send Mr. Liu by helicopter to the fourth area.

Third, after the helicopter arrives, I will take it,

so they must prepare enough fuel, and 10 parachutes.

Fourth, announce the news of the hijack to the world's media at once.

If any of these demands are not met, we will blow up the plane,

killing ourselves, and all hostages on board.

We are deadly serious about these demands.

The time now is 7:55.

Close the curtains.

We should all put on our seat belts.

Put on your seat belts.

Everyone, sit like this.

Don't open the window.

3rd September, 08:35, Beijing.

Beijing cancels the conference of the State Council,

which was due to start at 8:30am.

Instead, it summons the relevant official,

and holds an urgent meeting about this incident.

After serious discussion, it decides that,

even though Beijing and Taipei haven't had official contact for 40 years,

they do both agree on how to deal with terrorism and humanitarian problems.

Regarding this hijack, the two sides should be able to cooperate fully.

The policy of Beijing is to cooperate as far as possible.

The steps are as follows.

First, form an urgent command to oversee this action directly.

Second, secretly inform the Taiwan authorities as soon as possible,

and keep the news hidden from the world,

in order to help the Taiwan authorities in this action.

Third, send an anti-hijack team to the scene,

so the commander on the scene can understand and stabilise the situation.

All action is forbidden until contact has been made with the Taiwan side.

You ... said you wouldn't kill anyone.

Listen!

This place where we've landed is the defence area of the Communists.

Ali, I shouldn't have trusted you.

You've harmed so many people.

Calm down, Mr. Zhou.

Of course, events have taken an unexpected turn,

but our objects must be achieved.

Fortunately...

we have with us Qu Xiaozhen, the chairman of the board.

With such an important person,

I don't think the Communists will ignore us.

Don't waste your time dreaming.

Regarding the Taiwan authorities and the Communists,

we do not have high hopes.

Our relations are only just beginning.

I hope -

Good!

This is Liang Zhuang, the special commander from Beijing.

I am responsible for liaising with you. Answer me, please!

This is Zheng Xianping,

the vice leader of the Taiwan Special Black Mission Group.

The deadline you gave

must be put back by four hours.

Absolutely not! No way!

Calm down, Mr. Zheng.

You must know that

Beijing and Taiwan don't have regular contact with each other.

If you want us to pass these demands to them directly,

it will need a great effort, and time also.

Why have you ignored our demand? This should have been announced to the world.

You are in no position to raise demands of us.

We will contact Taipei as soon as possible.

But your timeline is unreasonable.

That's your problem.

My deadline cannot be delayed.

Then we will refuse everything you ask us to do.

I will blow up the plane.

Mr. Zheng, don't forget,

this plane... is not ours.

3rd September, 10:55, Hong Kong.

The communications official from Beijing

arrives in Hong Kong with the encrypted communications equipment.

He goes directly to the Taiwan investigation agency,

Hong Kong branch,

known in Hong Kong as the Asia Affairs Bureau.

He then goes from Hong Kong to Taipei,

and establishes secret communications between Beijing and Taipei.

- You can have two more hours. - Four hours.

- Three hours! - Four hours.

Your soldiers must fall back.

All right.

But I need to check that all the hostages are safe.

I am responsible for reporting this.

You can't come on board,

but you can see them from the cabin door.

Pay attention now! Everyone fall back 200 metres.

The Taipei organisation in Hong Kong is given the news of the hijack.

In order to ensure the security of communications with Beijing

it consents that the official from Beijing

can go to Taipei with the encrypted communications equipment.

3rd September, 12:15, Taipei.

In the last 40 years, this is the first official from Beijing to come to Taiwan.

The secret communication channel is now established.

Miss...

We really need some medicine.

The requirement to announce the news to the whole world

is the only concession I prepared.

I knew they wouldn't do this.

I say again, I need medicine.

Leader,

how can the superior contact Taiwan?

I am afraid that there is not enough time.

I have no idea about that.

Have one of my Yunnan cigarettes!

Leader, how long should we wait?

Just keep waiting!

This is Liang Zhuang! Speak!

Mr. Liang,

we need medicine and medical equipment. Someone is injured here.

I see! I will get this to you this right away.

Just leave it there! Thank you!

Please go back!

Chairman! You still need to take your medicine.

Mr. Liang, what's the time now by your watch?

I am also anxious.

You should understand that this is a special situation.

Say what you like. The Communists just like playing tricks.

If there is no progress later,

I will not be so polite.

Mr. Zheng! You are in the mainland now.

I don't want anything bad to happen here.

You should trust our sincerity.

I respect only time and facts.

I don't need to listen to anything from you.

Just keep a close eye on your watch.

Mr. Zheng!

Call Beijing!

The Kuomintang doesn't want you,

and the Communist Party doesn't care either.

There's nothing I can do.

There's no sign from them at all.

The Communist Party only sent an empty talker here.

We need to show them how serious we are.

From now on, kill one every half an hour.

I have no choice.

I'll keep you, Chairman, until the very end.

Number 1, number 2, number 3.

No!

You... all of you... you're so cruel.

Ali! How could you abuse my kindness

to get on our plane in this way?

Chairman!

Chairman! I am so sorry!

So sorry!

You've really handled this badly.

Go on.

With your demands, you've now put yourself right in the middle.

The Communist Party and Kuomintang have had no contact for so many years.

How can the Communist Party officials communicate with Taipei?

Even if they manage to communicate,

will Taipei trust them?

And even if Taipei does trust them,

both Beijing and Taipei will have their own conditions too.

All these things take time.

Old Qu's analysis is reasonable,

but I can't wait here.

Let me help you.

Let me have a few words with the Communist Party.

I'll ask them to inform Taipei.

Taipei will believe what I say.

Mr. Liang,

the Chairman of Taiwan International Corp., Mr. Qu Xiaozhen,

wants to talk to you.

Chairman Qu Xiaozhen, hello, I am listening to you.

Thank you. Please send word to Taipei

that everything that happens here

needs to be approved by Taipei.

Everything is all right at the moment.

Please tell Taipei that

my bank insurance number is

TB53427954.

September 3rd, 13:10, Taipei.

The secret hotline between Taiwan and Beijing

is in continuous use.

Taipei first expresses its gratitude

to Beijing for providing prompt and accurate information,

and for the secret reporting, which accords with Taipei's wish.

Taipei also emphasises that Beijing must keep it secret.

On its side, Beijing agrees completely, and declares that,

because the airport where the plane landed is abandoned,

and urgent measures have been taken,

the whole incident is at present top secret and confidential.

Taiwan declares that it will not negotiate with the hijackers.

Taipei hopes to have Beijing's support

to rescue Qu Xiaozhen and the other hostages.

Both sides agree that, for security, Taipei's commandos

will fly an unmarked Cougar civil aviation helicopter to the area,

and that the operation will be called "Codename Cougar".

Beijing and Taipei's emergency command departments will work together.

Both sides will have equal commanding rights.

Taipei reiterates that this cooperation between the two sides

is only for the hijacking.

Leader! Look!

Unless I give the order, no one can get off the plane.

Colonel in Command, Huang Jingru.

Major in Command, Liang Zhuang.

Sorry to be so late.

The two sides analyse the people concerned in this accident.

Board Chairman Qu Xiaozhen is 66 years old now.

He graduated from Tsinghua University.

He has held important political posts since he arrived in Taiwan in 1949.

Three years ago, when he retired, he was highly honoured in business circles.

He is a very important person in Taiwan.

His private secretary Zhou Shuitang

who is 31 years old,

graduated from Harvard, majoring in Commerce.

Two years ago, he returned to Taiwan and took this job.

The female secretary Zhang Biyun is 30 years old.

The captain Situ Anrui, and the vice captain Liu Dongcheng,

the bodyguard Yang Huaihe, and the stewardesses He Yunlu and Zhen Hualing,

all were employed by Qu Xiaozhen two years ago.

There are five people who hijacked the plane.

They used the relationship between a nurse at Taipei Minsheng Hospital, He Ali,

and Qu Xiaozhen's private secretary, Zhou Shuitang,

On the pretext of saving the life of a patient, they boarded the plane.

Ali, who is 23 years old,

graduated as a Nursing major from Kaohsiung Medical College.

Currently imprisoned,

the leader of the Taiwan Special Black Mission Group is Liu Tingjun.

The two previously had an affair.

According to our research, Ali has not joined this terrorist group.

She was probably just a pawn in the hijack.

The vice leader of the group, Zheng Xianping, is 36 years old.

He graduated from Princeton University,

and got his doctorate in biology from Taipei University.

Three months ago, he disappeared.

Information on the other terrorists is not available now.

- Here. - No, thank you.

- Have one of these! - No, thanks.

They're from Yunnan.

Good cigarettes!

The anaesthetic nerve gas must spread throughout the cabin.

We can use the plane's air-conditioning system.

That will spread the gas evenly.

Your man should not go first. We'll go first. He'll do it.

All right.

While you are doing that, I will negotiate with them,

to cover you!

Get ready.

Good luck!

My cigarette friend!

- We must be successful. - To success!

Mr. Zheng Xianping, the person from Taipei is here.

He wants to talk to you. He is coming over to you.

I am Huang Jingru, the special envoy from Taipei.

I am Zheng Xianping,

the vice leader of the Taiwan Special Black Mission Group.

Where is the person I asked for?

Sorry! After we received the communication from Beijing

the superior sent me to check the situation here.

Our group leader, Mr. Liu Tingjun,

must be brought here.

I have already made a concession.

I've given four more hours.

Beijing and Taipei relations, as you should know,

have resulted in much bad feeling on both sides.

So, regarding any information they provide,

we need to be cautious about it.

What Beijing informed you

was indeed what we required.

You go now, and inform the Taiwan authorities

that they must accept all our requests.

There is not much time for you.

Among your requirements

is one that I think the authorities will not accept.

They must agree to everything.

There will be no negotiation.

Mr. Zheng Xianping, please calm down.

After all, this should be solved through negotiation.

I hope it will end well.

Miss,

I need to use the toilet.

Then I don't understand. What's your intention with this hijacking?

If you want to kill people and blow up the plane,

you don't need to raise any requests.

If you don't release Liu Tingjun, you will pay for it.

My patience has limits.

There are some similar-looking pipes,

not marked as they should be.

I don't know which one feeds the air-conditioning system.

Don't worry. I'll check immediately and tell you.

All right.

Other things can be discussed,

but... to announce the news globally

is unacceptable to the authorities.

We must maintain dignity and public order.

We hope that you can understand.

I can withdraw this one.

Got it.

- But this is my last concession. - Thank you.

Another thing.

We think -

Mr. Zheng Xianping? Mr. Zheng Xianping?

Don't use the toilet. Don't make a sound.

All sit down.

If something like this happens again, we will blow up the plane.

This is not a game! Come for the bodies.

3rd September, 13:58.

The death of a Beijing group member is mourned by Taipei.

However both sides will still work closely together.

Prior to this, South Korea Seoul Airport had noticed that

a private Taiwan plane, expected in Seoul, hadn't landed there.

Taipei's response is that

the plane's owner changed his plan and returned to Taipei.

The Associated Press has also noticed

that the State Council's meeting due at 08:30 has been postponed.

It is assumed that something unusual has happened in Beijing.

Report from seat No. 3. 40 degrees, 15 minutes, 30.

Report from seat No. 2. 38 degrees, 5 minutes, 6.

Report from seat No. 1. I found it. 15 degrees, 7 minutes, 21.

Let me take care of this spy.

Mr. Zheng Xianping, Taipei has replied.

It is considering your requests carefully.

Now the authorities suggest a compromise.

They will give each of you a great amount of US dollars.

You can all live overseas.

As for leaving here,

you can chose whatever way you think safest.

We will cooperate.

And... we won't pursue you for what has happened.

Don't waste my time.

I don't want to have to take another person's life just to remind you.

Don't move.

How many of you are there? Speak!

Liu Tingjun cannot not be freed now.

The public opinion would be too negative.

- Later - - Bullshit!

You must send me the group leader, as I've required.

Otherwise, you know what the consequence will be, don't you?

Please don't be impulsive.

I believe that everything will be perfectly solved.

Speak. Speak!

Five.

Mr. Zheng Xianping, Mr. Zheng Xianping,

Your fuel tank is on fire.

Don't play games with me.

Listen, all the hostages are on board.

If I burn the fuel tank, they would also be killed, wouldn't they?

Let the hostages off the plane right now. There's no time left.

What's wrong? What's wrong?

The plane's fuel tank seems to be on fire.

Leader, what should we do?

Mr. Zheng, let's get off the plane.

Huang Jingru, get your Cougar pilot out of his helicopter.

I'll fly that helicopter.

To disembark here and get on the Cougar will take 5 minutes.

If any problem occurs during these 5 minutes,

I shall immediately kill Qu Xiaozhen.

In addition, all the soldiers must retreat, including you.

Everyone listen to my command, and get off the plane.

If anyone disobeys...

this old guy will get it first.

Everybody, listen to his order.

Attention, attention.

As soon as they leave the plane, shoot on my order.

Understood.

Nothing to report.

Nothing to report. Nothing to report.

Nothing to report.

It's a trap!

Stop. Come back. Come back quickly.

Come back. Get back on board! Get back on board! Quickly.

Communist Party member Liang Zhuang,

send back my man right now.

Do you hear me?

Huang Jingru, you colluded with the Communist Party,

and cheated me.

I will teach you a lesson.

Her death... is the responsibility of the Communist Party.

I always keep my word.

Send back my man immediately.

Otherwise, I will kill another one.

Mr. Liang Zhuang, do as he said.

Or else he will shoot other hostages.

3rd September, 14:40.

The failure of Taipei and Beijing's second action is studied,

indicating that those on the ground need to create a stable situation.

The hijackers should not feel that they have lost control,

or be forced to do anything desperate.

We must make them feel that things are going as they wish.

We should help them build confidence.

At the scene, we are keeping dialogue open with them.

In this way, we can control the situation,

and buy more time, for a better chance of a successful rescue.

The Americans have discovered that simultaneously in Taipei and Beijing,

radio signals with identical encryption have appeared.

Tokyo has also noticed this abnormality.

Seoul is paying close attention, too.

These people... really have patience!

This is almost at an end.

Want to resist? I'll show you my strength.

Captain.

I do not wish our cooperation

to be unhappy at all.

But just now your attitude was very unfriendly.

You must take responsibility for it.

For further cooperation,

you need to wake up and think clearly.

Our policy on violence and extremism

is that we always try to avoid it.

Don't hit him in the face.

I sincerely recommend you to see clearly the big picture -

to see clearly the big picture.

And as I've said, as long as you cooperate,

you'll come to no harm.

Haven't you wanted to see the leader for a long time?

If we don't do this, how can he be set free?

They will jail him for 20 years. Even 50 years.

I know you don't like this method. Neither do I.

But there is no other way. This will also be for your advantage.

That's enough.

Captain, Captain.

Please bring him a glass of water.

Bring a glass of water!

Your man will arrive in ten minutes.

Finally, what we've all been waiting for!

All get ready.

The gas will take at least 15 minutes to work.

Please put it there.

Put your hands on your head, and go back!

Don't look back.

Mesage received.

Your men can show themselves now.

Attention, listen to my command.

Don't fight back, don't fight back.

Retreat, retreat.

Fucking goddammit!

Who's going to be next?

Untie me.

Give me my clothes.

Secretary Zhou, I'm sorry!

As for you ... bastard, devil.

Ali, Ali... calm down.

You must stop. Let him go, you devil.

Let him go! You devil!

Stop it!

Chairman.

Listen. The listening device and nerve gas... I know these tricks.

I am professionally trained.

This poor young man was killed by you.

Mr. Zheng, Mr. Zheng.

You are not trustworthy at all.

You are not a bit sincere.

I will kill them one by one, in front of you.

Mr. Zheng Xianping, listen, you win.

Don't kill anyone else.

I'll inform Taipei right now

to release your leader Liu Tingjun.

Our job is to fight terrorists.

We must try to rescue people.

That's not hard to understand.

But based on everything that's happened,

we give in.

Liu Tingjun surely will cooperate with your requests,

and will come here.

This is the last time.

By 6 o'clock, you must deliver our leader.

Otherwise we shall kill them and blow up the plane.

Sorry, but it's impossible.

We need time to convince them.

After they agree with us, get prepared as you required.

Moreover, it takes time for the helicopter to get here.

It will be after dark.

Give us about 4 hours. This is the best we can do.

There's no way we can be any earlier.

I hope you will count on me this time.

I will endeavour to inform Taipei and act quickly.

Mr. Zheng, Mr. Zheng...

Do you hear me? Do you hear me?

You should improve your work efficiency.

If my man hasn't been delivered by 8:45

I will kill one person every five minutes.

I have made more and more concessions.

What's more,

send us some food and drink, produced by the mainland.

We will do all that you ask.

As far we can tell now, Beijing and Taipei

have held several discussions, and analysed the situation from both sides.

The directors at the scene, Liang Zhuang and Huang Jingru,

insist on a last attempt at a humanitarian solution to rescue the hostages.

The details have been carefully studied from every angle.

Everyone agrees that it's risky, but feasible.

Taipei specifically instructs Huang Jingru to follow this directive,

and to accompany Liu Tingjun at the scene without any incident.

Come what may, it is vital that Liu Tingjun arrives alive and safe.

This belonged to the member who gave his life this afternoon.

He left half a packet of Yunnan cigarettes.

I don't know his name yet.

Any of his friends from Yunnan, please take one.

I am also from Yunnan.

I want one.

I want one too.

I should say we are in control.

Or to put it another way, we are sure to succeed.

May I ask, are you from Beijing?

Yes.

I like to hear you speak.

Are you from Taipei?

I'm originally from Beiping... Beijing, as it's called now.

Then we come from the same place.

The same place.

How old is your child?

When the action is over, I will go back and get married.

I'm sorry.

Then we have even more reason to succeed.

Mr. Huang Jingru, are you receiving? Are you receiving?

This is Huang Jingru. Go ahead.

This is Zheng Xianping.

We ask that either you or Mr. Liang

please come on the plane here with us.

We will release you as soon as our leader arrives.

Do you agree?

Why are you hesitating?

Since you've accepted our requests, you are surely not afraid?

I will come right away.

I'll go, or else, they will be suspicious.

Let me go.

You'll be needed to command the last action.

When the helicopter from Taipei arrives, you should be here.

It's more sensible to do it like this.

Mr. Zheng, Mr. Liang is coming.

Hold on.

Take care.

I'm Liang Zhuang, from Beijing.

Welcome to the mainland.

Mr. Liang, welcome.

You seem honest.

We hope that this can all be concluded now.

Send everybody back to their seats.

Sorry, Mr. Liang. I'm afraid you'll have to suffer a bit.

I can take it.

Put some music on.

Attention. Get ready.

Look! Quick! Go! Go!

They've lied to us again. Everybody, sit!

Get the detonator.

Mr. Zheng, Mr. Zheng.

The man you want is on the way!

Time is up.

Quick. Everybody sit! Sit!

Don't string me out any longer.

No, please stay calm. The helicopter will be here any moment.

The time is up. This is the first.

- You can't do this. - No, don't!

We are approaching. Please respond.

We are approaching.

They're here! Idiot, turn on the light quickly.

Mr. Zheng, do you hear it?

The helicopter is here. Do you hear it?

It's here!

Get closer to the plane. Closer, closer.

Let them see you clearly. Get closer, closer.

Listen, we want to check the helicopter first.

All right.

Leader.

It's all right.

Attention, attention.

Wait for my order. Wait for my order.

Move.

Halt.

Don't come any further!

Mr. Liu Tingjun, don't joke.

Dozens of guns are pointing at you.

Stop.

Put your guns down,

or... I will kill her.

Huh?

Did you hear what I said?

Now I'll count to three.

If you don't put your guns down

I will shoot.

One.

Two.

Guns down, guns down.

Wait a moment.

Reporters from many countries have asked repeatedly

whether Beijing and Taipei had had close contact and cooperation.

Both sides deny it.