(from yahoo news)

LONDON (Reuters) - China, as an ultimate incentive to solve the millennium bug computer problem, has ordered its airline executives to take a flight on January 1, 2000, the Financial Times said on Friday.

``All the heads of the airlines have got to be in the air on January 1, 2000,'' the FT quoted Zhao Bo, in charge of dealing with the problem at the Chinese ministry of information industries, as saying.

The ministry directive coincides with a push by Beijing to minimise the risk of chaos if computer systems and electronics fail to recognize the date change from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000.

The millennium bug or Year 2000 (Y2K) problem refers to the fact that many computers and embedded chips calculate time by only using the last two digits of a year. As a result, computers may read 2000 as 1900 or simply 00.

Unless rectified, the problem could cause computers to crash or miscalculate.

The danger to aircraft safety from the millennium bug has reportedly made some airlines consider whether they should ground all flights late on December 31.

The FT said a special problem in China is the amount of pirated software. Technicians cannot consult the manufacturers and must themselves work out how to defuse the bug.

The Chinese order follows a decision by Jane Garvey, head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, to fly across America on New Year's eve to demonstrate the safety of U.S. systems.

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 01-19-99).]