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On May 8 1999, a US Air Force bomber destroyed part of China embassy in Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia (now Serbia). Three Chinese journalists died and many diplomats were injured.

For the first time since the party came to power in 1949, the government approved a street demonstration request. People surrounded US embassy and threw eggs, tomatoes and ink bottles into the compound.

Why did US bomber smash China embassy? There are two different versions. The US claimed that the bomber pilot used an outdated (inaccurate) map. Almost no one believed this statement.

Another version is: Yugoslavia handed an unexploded US missile over to China for disassemblage and research, and it was concealed in the basement of China embassy. Most people believe this explanation.