Assumed cleared to descent and maintain 1800 meters, 6000', clearance was to FL180.

Attributes
ACN	96285
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hkg
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : vhhk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	96285
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	unspecified : 3000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were level 7000 meters in china airspace. Then received clearance to descend to 1800 meters and read back: 'cleared to 1-8-0-0 meters'. Later, after landing, I was told by the hkg controller that china said we were level FL180. Apparently we were cleared to FL180, but read back 1800 meters and the china controller acknowledged ok. We did in fact descend through another aircraft's altitude according to the hong kong controller (lucky). The major problem here is language and meters. Language is being slowly improved, but having meters and feet in so close proximity and so many aircraft, I don't know if the situation will improve until they or we change our systems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASSUMED CLEARED TO DESCENT AND MAINTAIN 1800 METERS, 6000', CLRNC WAS TO FL180.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL 7000 METERS IN CHINA AIRSPACE. THEN RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 1800 METERS AND READ BACK: 'CLRED TO 1-8-0-0 METERS'. LATER, AFTER LNDG, I WAS TOLD BY THE HKG CTLR THAT CHINA SAID WE WERE LEVEL FL180. APPARENTLY WE WERE CLRED TO FL180, BUT READ BACK 1800 METERS AND THE CHINA CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OK. WE DID IN FACT DSND THROUGH ANOTHER ACFT'S ALT ACCORDING TO THE HONG KONG CTLR (LUCKY). THE MAJOR PROB HERE IS LANGUAGE AND METERS. LANGUAGE IS BEING SLOWLY IMPROVED, BUT HAVING METERS AND FEET IN SO CLOSE PROX AND SO MANY ACFT, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SITUATION WILL IMPROVE UNTIL THEY OR WE CHANGE OUR SYSTEMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.