There is this one poor bloke who seems to have died after having had an accident with americans.

You guys get real and admit that this is nothing but political bullshit.

How are we supposed to make this world any better if our leaders behave like kids?

Bush, just say sorry, it was closer to their country, beeing polite and humble won't kill you, I promise.

Jang, just send the poor guys back, they were just doing their job.

But status quo is not pro-independence. The people in the status quo group are very willing to have close relationship with the mainland in terms of trade, tourism, communication and transportation ties, cultural exchanges, etc. The vast majority of the Taiwan people still think of themselves as having come over from the mainland and that the mainland is their "ancestral home". The two way trade between the mainland and Taiwan in 2000 is US$30.53 billion with US$5.04 billion of exports to Taiwan and US$25.49 billion of imports from Taiwan. The balance of trade between the mainland and Taiwan is about US$20.45 billion in Taiwan's favor. Furthermore, Taiwan has invested more than US$40 billion in China. Without the mainland trade and investments, Taiwan's economy will be in serious difficulties. Furthermore, Taiwan people realize that the mainland market is the largest in the world and will surpass the American trade in a few years.

The total Taiwan-US two way trade in 1999 was US$49.76 billion with US$31.46 billion export to the US and US$18.31 billion import from the US. With US$13.15 billion balance of trade in favor of Taiwan. In other words, with the mainland-Taiwan trade expanding rapidly, Taiwan is making more profits trading with the mainland than with the US.

A very significant point about the poll is that the trend is toward decreasing pro-independence and increasing pro-reunification. This trend reflects the ever increasing closer ties between the two parts of China.

In the final analysis, America is not justified to use Taiwan as an excuse to spy on China. Virtually nobody on Taiwan want to fight the mainland. The mainland have repeatedly assured Taiwan that it will not attack Taiwan unless Taiwan declared independence. Given the increasing trade and tourism, and the increasinly favorable public sentiment toward the mainland, there is absolutely no reason why China should attack Taiwan. The single most dangerous element in Taiwan is the US trying to stir up trouble. If the US left Taiwan alone, Taiwan will be safer and will grow much more prosperous quickly. In fact, the US is not "protecting" Taiwan but is endangering Taiwan by using Taiwan as an excuse to "contain" China. America is the evil empire endangering Taiwan's security and prosperity.

If we look back, we can see that after Geroge W Bush sworn in on January 20th, tragic accidents happened one after another. First, in February, U.S.S. Greeneville destroyed a Japan's Ehime Maru fishing boat, causing 9 death. Then, a Mark-82 bomb killed 6 during a March military exercise in Kuwait. Now, on the first day of April, China was chosen as the next target.

It's clear and sensitive that the purpose of the EP-3 spy plane is to gather military information, especially those concerning the newly-deployed missile base targeting China's Taiwan province. And more sensitively, the US side claims that everything on this plane is extreamely confidential, and this kind of weapon is on the arm-sell list put forward by the Taiwan Authority.

Ironically, as a Chinese saying goes, ZI TOU LUO WANG, which means throwing onself into the fishing net, the US side has thrown itself ot at least it EP-3 into the trouble. And the US attitudes toward handling this hot issue really infuiate the Chinese. China's outrage is that the US side doesn't say a word of sorry for this collision tragedy, for the unpredictable fate of the Chinese polit, for invading Chinese air space and for the emergency landing on Hainan Island without getting permission from the Chinese side. On the contray, it accuses Chinese jets of the so-called wrong-doing, only care about the EP-3 plane and its 24 crew members, and even sends three vessels to the area to keep the close warch of the development of the issue.

Only several days left before the decision-making of the arm-sell to Taiwan by the Bush administration. Now everyone knows that Sino-US relations are at the cucial point, be improved or be drawn back. And it all depends on US side. We hope Prez Bush and the US Government could solve this diplomatic problem properly. And we want a comprehensive investigation and explanation of this tragedy. Or the result on Sino-US relations will be great. Nobody wants to see the conflict on any aspect between China and the United States. Still remember the mammoth demonstration after US bombing Chinese Embassy in Belgrade in 1999? If the US side's explanation cannot satify the Chinese people, huge protest might once again appear in front of the US Embassy in China.

EP-3 Crew maybe go home in time but not the plane. (remember the Russian Jet that landed in Japan)

Mr Jiang, please do not defer to the US. It would signal the end for world egalitarianism.

Sincerely

Al Markowitz

I read your comments of Apr 9 which I thought was senseful. But there is still something I'd like to make clear for you. I personally do doubt that the collision itself was an accident at all but what happened before that? It needs to be investigated or maybe the 24 persons can make some justice statement about that but till now we haven't heard a word. We do not expect it anyway. The US is being famous for its hegemony, as well as its advantage in some technology field.

And I cannot agree with you that the US won't keep the crew and the plane as we did if the same thing happens to you. I have the reason to believe the US would go further than us if a Chinese military plane land in your territory without permission and one of your pilots die before that. I think it is necessary for the US to say 'sorry' to us, even if it was an accident. There is an old saying in China 'It resulted from me although I didn't mean to do that'. It is really a pity that one of our brothers died for this meaningless event.

I like most of the US people. I have some good friends from US also and we are getting well with each other regardless we belong to different nations. Different culture and background has become one of the reasons for why we like to get closer and learn about each other.

And it is extremely ridiculous to compare us with the Nazi German who deserved its perdition finally. We haven't ever intended to manipulate other nations even when we were pretty strong in the world. Our nationalism did show its power when we were striving for freedom and against intrusion. Maybe you American can hardly understand this felling but have you ever thought of why you lost in the war of North Korea and Vienam? Was it because we were stronger than you? No! We were firmly united and therefore had the confidence to win our freedom and independence.