Chinese businessman acquires jet fighter on eBay

A Chinese businessman has bought a MiG-21f plane from a US seller on eBay for $24,730 and plans to use it to decorate an empty space at his offices, a Beijing News report, quoted by Associated Press, said.

The Beijing News report identified the Chinese buyer as Zhang Cheng.

'I like to collect valuable items. I have the buying power and my company has an empty space where I can display the plane,' the newspaper quoted Zhang as saying.

The eBay Web site for the transaction showed the plane was currently located in Lewiston, Idaho, the report said.

It said the fighter jet, last flown in 1995, had been inspected by a museum and found to be in excellent condition, the report added.

The seller was only identified by the username 'inkgirle.'

The Beijing paper quoted Zhang as saying that he learned from the seller's son by telephone that the fighter jet was retired by the Czech military.

It was not immediately clear if the fighter jet could be imported into China. Zhang said he was waiting for government authorities to get back to him, The Beijing News reported.