When the news about the US spy plane bumped a Chinese interceptor spreads, the public wondered whether it was just an idiot joke of 1st April. After they confirmed it, millions of web citizens rushed to Bulletin Board Service to express their indignation as well as their expected solution to this so-called incident.

Sunday morning, a US military surveillance plane approached southeast China’s Hainan Province, and two Chinese military jets scrambled to track it.

At 9:07 a.m., 104 km southeast of Hainan Island, the US plane suddenly turned towards the Chinese jets, resulting in its bumping into and damaging one of the two Chinese jets.

The direct cause of the damage and crash of the Chinese jet was that the U.S. plane suddenly veered into the Chinese jet, which was against flight rule. Therefore, the U.S. side should bear all the responsibility arising therefrom, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhu Bangzao said.

However, Adm. Dennis Blair, commander of US Pacific military forces, explained the collision like this: “It's pretty obvious who bumped into whom.” The US side demanded quickest return of the 24-men crew and necessary repair to the spy plane while showing no concern about the missing Chinese pilot.

“The American government always attaches importance to human rights. Now why didn’t it show any human rights concern to the poor missing pilot?” A web citizen at Sina.com said.

In the chat room sponsored by peopledaily.com, another web surfer under the nickname of “New Great Wall” sneered: “The so-called international practice is nothing when they bombed other’s embassy or when they collided other’s plane in another country. When it concerns their interests, they would clamor 'international practice'. What a robber’s logic!”

The following are some comments by people in the chat room.

“The US keeps claiming its spy plane was on a routine surveillance or exercise in southeast of Hainan Islands. Would that be legitimate just because a thief has been stealing others’ property for enough 'working experience'? How can you intrude into other’s home without permission and claimed yourself innocent?”

“I am sure the Chinese government will never and ever maltreat the crew. The problem is whether they are some honored guests upon invitation or some notorious thief stealing our 'property'. According to international law, intelligent agencies are not equal to prisoner of war. Should we spend the tax-payers’ money to serve them cigarette, alcohol or other luxuries, based on the US demands?”

“It is understandable why the US wants no board on the plane because there are lots of top-secrete electronic equipment, which might even contains some information concerning US national security or concerning China’s national security just gained thought this ‘routine surveillance’. I am not commenting on what the Chinese government should do. I just want an answer: Can a thief, under arrest at the scene of a crime, demand no search in an aboveboard manner because all his clothes, luggage are his personal belongings under his own territorial scope?”

“We can understand US’s worry about its advance electronic plane. And we are not going to search the plane by ourselves because the plane is concerning US’s national secrets. But due to the plane had ‘routine surveillance’ inside China territory, we doubt the plane may carry information directly relating to China’s national security. A special team should be selected from permanent members of the Security Council and other UN member countries, including China and US personnel, to work into the case.”

Another netizen wrote a short essay entitled Something From the Collision, which pointed out that someone once predicted the next military target of US would be China after Yugoslavia’s failure, and now it becomes a reality. The article also said that China might face more such challenges or insults if she failed to strengthen itself.

(CIIC by Xu Zhiquan 04/02/2001)