http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cover/storydb/2001/04/11/mn-comme.411.html China Daily commentary: A step forward, no conclusion yet (04/11/2001) In a letter to the Chinese Government yesterday afternoon, the US Government said it was "very sorry" for the missing of a Chinese pilot and a US spy plane's entering Chinese airspace and landing without verbal clearance. In return, China declared it had, out of humanitarian considerations, decided to let the US crew go home. The tense standoff that was threatening to jeopardize one of the world's most influential state-to-state relationships has thus been defused. That the US Government finally backed down from its aggressive no-apology stance, which had annoyed not only the Chinese but all upright people the world over, is certainly a welcome move toward an ultimate solution of the potentially explosive issue. That was the very least they should have done, and done earlier. Any decent member of any group has to observe the decencies of his or her community. All human laws, and common sense as well, share the principle that those who cause damage are accountable to the victims for their misdeeds. The difficulty of squeezing an expression of repentance from the US Government for its apparent wrong-doing in this case shows the magnitude of the US hegemony that is poisoning relations with many other countries besides China. China is not the sole country that has fallen victim to the United States' signature double standards in handling international relations. "Do unto others as ye would be done by." That is a teaching that has been handed down from one generation to another in China. It is also a gem of Chinese wisdom the nation can offer. Neither intimidation nor condescension solves international conflicts, whether they are bilateral or multilateral. That the incident happened at all, and became a damaging stalemate, was entirely because of US provocation and its subsequent unrepentance. Had the US politicians tried to look beyond their self-interest from the beginning, there would not have been the 11-day stand-off. And the tension-charged mess would not have been unknotted had the US not come to terms with reality and reason. It is time for the United States to do some serious soul-searching. Next time it points a finger at any country which defies American will, it really should look at itself in the mirror first. Saying "very sorry" does not equal to a full apology and the shouldering of due responsibility. That is common sense. The Chinese Government had solid legal ground, in terms of both domestic and international law, to dispose of the intruders. The Chinese Government accepted the American gesture -- their attitude changed from belligerency to regret, to sorry and to very sorry -- and responded graciously. In addition to concern for the crew families' eagerness for reunion, the Chinese Government has its eyes on the bigger picture of Sino-US relations. A peace-minded China cherishes a sincere wish for friendly ties with all countries, including the United States. Its positive reply to the US' "very sorry" makes that sincerity even clearer. The Chinese willingness to accommodate, however, does not relieve the intruders from liabilities. It is our hope that the Chinese goodwill is not misconstrued or abused. What we have witnessed to date is merely the first step toward the conclusion of the case. Much is left for the two sides to straighten out in the following days. Apart from saying sorry, US politicians should show more sincerity so that bilateral relations do not suffer irreparable damage. To prevent something like this from happening again, the United States should relinquish its Cold-War mentality against China and stop the provocative spy missions at China's doorstep. (chinadaily.com.cn News) ''' (0 0) ----oOO----(_)---------- | the geek shall | | inherit the earth | -----------------oOO---- |__|__| || || ooO Ooo ------------------------------------------------------------ FREE EMAIL from AUSI at http://ausi.com