Small Aircraft Penetrated Beijing's Restricted Airspace Without Apparent Interception

A small aircraft struck CITIC Tower, Beijing's 528-meter flagship tower in the central business district, on Friday, confirmed by Flightradar24. Beijing's airspace ranks among the world's most restricted, layered with defenses near Zhongnanhai and military installations. The aircraft reached the tower without documented interception—forcing Chinese security planners to confront a vulnerability in general aviation oversight that investigators will scrutinize internationally.