A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that China hoped the Bush administration would adopt a ``positive and cooperative attitude'' towards the April 1 mid-air collision to bring the 10-day standoff to an end.

"We hope the US will adopt a positive and cooperative attitude and respond to the demands of the Chinese people. In this way the problem can be resolved at an early date," spokesman Sun Yuxi said at a regular briefing Tuesday afternoon.

Reacting to President George W. Bush's warning that a drawn-out standoff over a spy plane could hurt US-Chinese ties, Sun urged Washington not to ``complicate matters.''

Bush on Sunday warned that the impasse could harm relations. The US air crew still remains in China since entering the Chinese airspace and making an emergency landing without permission following the mid-air collision.

``I hope the US side will not further complicate the issue,'' Sun said.

Sun also disclosed that in contacts with Chinese officials, US Ambassador Joseph Prueher has been meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Assistant Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong.

Sun also reiterated that Washington must apologize for the incident.

"The US use of the word sorry is a step in the right direction, but we don't think this issue is fully solved. We still urge the US to take a positive attitude and take the stance of the Chinese side seriously," Sun said.

"Since the US side has done something wrong first, it is purely their responsibility to apologize," he told the regular news briefing.

(Chinadaily.com.cn 04/10/2001)