The vast majority of the Americans are of the opinion that the Chinese are holding the spy crew "illegally". The truth is that the American media and politicians have brain-washed them into thinking that the spy crew had done nothing wrong. They brazenly declared that the Americans have been spying for 50 years. They piously declared that the US and the Russians had reached a "protocol" to allow each to spy on the other. They sanctimoniously declared that if the situations were reversed, they would attend to the Chinese crew and send them home. Lastly, they emphasized that the Americans have the international law on their side.

But lets examine these one by one. I've always understood a crime is a crime because it violates some fundamental sense of ethical rightness. Stealing is considered a crime because we basically feel it is not right. Therefore, no matter how long a person engage in stealing, he is still committing a crime. Just because he had been stealing for 50 years does not make his stealing any more right than when he first started stealing.

Why must a protocol reached between the US and the Russians be accepted by the Chinese? Take for example the law of same sex marriages in the US. Some states permit same sex marriages. But most states do not. Obviously the law of one state is not automatically accepted in other states. By the same token, there is nothing in the world that requires the law of one part of the world be accepted by all other parts of the world. Therefore, the protocol reached between the US and the Russians is totally irrelevant to the Chinese. It is for the Chinese to make their own laws against the hostile acts of offshore spying. What the US and the Russians agreed to do is relevant to the US and the Russians only. It has nothing to do with the Chinese. And to say that just because there is a protocol between the US and the Russians, the Chinese must also submit to that protocol is ludicrous.

The Americans are sanctimoniously saying that they would send the Chinese home immediately, if the situations were reversed and a Chinese crew landed in US territory. They are even saying that the US would not take a single peek inside the spy plane. Of course this is what all the Ameicans would say. It is like a caught thief being asked whether he would let others go if they were caught stealing his properties. Only a fool would say that he would call the cops and send them to jail. He might even say he would treat them to a sumptuous dinner and give them lavish gifts to take home. And one would be a bigger fool to believe him.

From the beginning, Bush had demanded that the Chinese release the spy crew because he said that is what the international law dictates. But nobody can come up with any international law anywhere that says a spy crew has to be allowed to enter a foreign country and land at a restricted air base without first requesting for and being granted permissions. When the US officials were asked about specific international laws to which they refer, they could only make evasive statements about how they are sure there are such international laws. They simply could not point to "any" international law to back up what they say. There simply is NO such international law.

So what should the Chinese do now? Americans are being brain-washed into thinking it is the Chinese who are gratuitously mistreating the spy crew. They think the spy crew have every "right" to leave immediately. And the American media and the politicians have done such a good job that the simple minded Americans believe this totally. And the Chinese demand for apologies just play into the hands of the Americans.

In the US people go by the law. If somebody crashed into your car, you sue him. If somebody killed your son, you call the cops and prosecute him for murder. You don't ask for apologies. If somebody bumped into you in the street, it is customary for them to apologize to you. But if they refused to apologize, there is no point for you to "demand" an apology. Because they would only be rude to you and you end up being insulted more. If you are bigger than they are, you punch them out. If you are injured by them and can prove it, you call the cops. But you don't just keep asking for apologies. It just make you appear weak.

The spy crew has committed infractions of the Chinese and international law by entering Chinese territory and landing at a restricted air base without first requesting for and being granted the permissions. Therefore, the Chinese has the right to prosecute the spy crew for these violations of the Chinese and the international laws. The radios of the spy plane have already been demonstrated to be functional. Being a spy plane, the crew cannot deny that they know which number to call for permission to enter China and land. Therefore China has an airtight case. So instead of keep asking for apologies which only make the Americans angry and contemptuous of the Chinese, the Chinese should do what the Americans can understand best - charge them with specific crimes and prosecute them according to the law.

The thing Americans are afraid of most is the law. Also the thing that they enjoy most is being above the law. If they can feel that they are above the law of China, then they will feel superior to the Chinese and become even more brazen in the future. By prosecuting the spy crew the Chinese will serve notice to them that they are not above the law of China. And that China will prosecute them to the fullest if they break the law of China. And so only by prosecuting them will they be made to behave in an orderly way when in China or when dealing with the Chinese.

Some years ago an American juvenile deliquent vandalized cars in Singapore. He was caught, prosecuted, and sentenced to a certain number of caning. Clinton complained. But the Singapore government went ahead and caned him anyway, because that was the law of Singapore. No American businessmen left en masse. The prestige of the law of Singapore was enhanced and the Singaporean society remained stable and orderly.

The Singaporean example is a good precedence for China to follow now. Prosecute the spy crew for the obvious crimes first. Then China can investigate the collision carefully and prosecute according to the findings. This way the Americans will not think China is mistreating their spy crew. And a successful prosecution and conviction will enhance the prestige of the Chines law. And the American people will have nothing to complain about. Lastly, when the spy crew has been convicted, the American government will be more amenable to negotiate for apologies. But at that time it may be too late for them.

I figure that both Hilary and Bill Clintons are falling into their mood of greatest pleasure and excitements.

As a chinese people ,I will support all the steps taken by our great government.

The future need two sides to build,let us make tomorrow a better day ,strive for a better enviroment for the people all over the world.

Your government plays with your economic future... all for a few technical gagets which american scientists will make useless within a few months. What if america disappeared today? Who would "THE PEOPLES" enemy be then? What would happen without america feeding 100 billion US dollars into china's economy? Would the Peoples Leaders/Spinsters be as vocal as they are today? Without the US dollars... maybe the government would be viewed for what it is?! Maybe this needs to happen.

Think about it! Think about freedom! Think for yourselves!

Your words just serve to show the whole world how American GIs are looking at chinese girls as nothing more than temporary sex slaves, as nothing more than playthings to satisfy their bestial lust before returning home to their wives and girlfriends. Furthermore, what made you think that Shanghai girl would want to have anything to do with the American GI anyway, the soldiers of an arrogant government who demands everything and is excellent only at paying lip service. I said a government, not a country - I never vote for Bush! I don't think the chinese people have a shortage of healthy men there.

For the chinese people, this just show exactly how weak China is really is. You have a bully that violates your nation's sovereignty, kill one of your best pilot and trampled on your national pride, and yet you are engaging in talks to hand the crew and plane back to the US ?

When will you stand your ground ? This is the second time the US violates your country's sovereignty (since the Soviet Union falls apart and becoming the old sick man of Europe, we've run out of evil empire to conquer, y'know ?)... and what have you done to stop them ? If the chinese people let this go away, I can assure you there will be a third incident and the fourth and so on !

Powel talks about US' regrets on this matter and that they should move on. I'd like to know what his speech will be if it's the american pilots who have been missing and the chinese jet which is stranded in say ... Hawaii ? I can guarantee that the US military will swarm to and dismantle the fighter for thorough analysis in no time. And what about the pilots ? They will probably be coerced into defecting to the US or otherwise be brainwashed if he is too patriotic to consider defection.

I feel this is the time for the chinese people to wake up and realise the reality of the world. You people are just pathetic and too pacifist. You are good at war only among yourselves, brother against brother, how shameful. This is all a fact, just look at the situation between China Mainland and Taiwan. And look back into your history, the majority of wars conducted by the chinese people are between yourself ... HAHAHA, I asked you again - have you guys no shame ?

I suppose you'll be happier to see foreign invaders like the Mongols, the Japanese, the Allied Powers raping your mothers, wives and daughters, killing your fathers, husbands and sons, rather than putting aside your differences and stand up against them. Puh-lease, what a raceful of cowards.

For all chinese governments, please take note. Clean up your act and be responsible to your people. Can't you see that you all have been played against each other ? Be a fair and just government, clean up all those corrupt officials (this also applies to the government of Republic of China aka Taiwan, yessh ... you people have as many if not more corrupt officials as China. Y'think we don't know about that ?) But for the Chinese government especially, you are leading the MOST populous nation on earth. China have the potential to be a great nation just like the great British Empire. Don't you dare try turning them into the rubbish dump of the world !

I am sorry if I diverge too much, anyway ... back to the topic, I would like to know if the US will agree to China taking in one of their crew (they may choose which one) AND the plane, while the other 23 crews may go back to US of A. For those who haven't know, the US carrier USS Constellation is in Australia today and is due to head to the South China Sea early next week. And you know what happen if a US carrier shows up, kiddies ... WHAM! BAM! Yeah that's right, I think we're going to witness another fireworks soon ... What a bunch of bullies !

And if any of you chinese people offended by my words, I made absolutly no apology ... because that's simply the fact ! The truth hurts like hell, but it's better if you know it ...

But I wonder if Chinese fighter pilots are equipped with life vest and signaling devices like most of the fighter pilots in other advanced countries. For Mr. Wang Wei to survive after landing on water, he first needs to loosen the parachute, inflate the life vest (if he had one). Then get ready to fire signaling device (again if he had one) so the rescuers can find him in a short time.

We know from the Chinese sources that he parachuted, and the other pilot radioed the position and turned back toward the base. Actually the other pilot should have stayed in that area long enough to ensure Wang Wei had carried out all the procedures to keep himself alive until the rescue team arrives.

It should not take more than 30 minutes to an hour for the Chinese rescue aircraft or speedboat to come to the scene. The water in that area in quite warm so there should be no problem for Wang Wei to stay in the water for many hours. The incident occurred in the morning and in good weather, another plus for him.

Who is at fault for the collision is still hotly debated. But there is no question that China is fully responsible to rescue Wang Wei. The Chinese side had to search their own souls regarding why Wang Wei did not survive the ditching. Did they not give their pilots enough tools and training to survive the ditching? Are they well trained to rescue a fallen comrade in a timely manner? The Chinese press reported sighting of sharks around the area, implying that the sharks may have got to him first. While it is not impossible, it is unlikely. There is a good chance the breakdown is either on the pilot's survival equipment, training, or the rescue team's equipment, experience or training.

May God comforts Mr. Wang Wei's family during this very difficult time.

In a currently unknown period of time, the US military personnel in China will return home. If China is so wise and righteous, peaceful and humane, why does it not make this proper and inevitable outcome happen sooner rather than later?

If there are details of international agreements that Chinese politicians wish to discuss with US politicians, why hold 24 individuals as pawns in a game? These people are not bargaining chips!

I am astonished and ashamed at the rhetoric on both sides, niether seeming to understand the full picture or the needs of the other side. Focusing on the issue, getting release of 24 servicemen and women and their aircraft, we seem to have dragged a whole lot of complicating issues into the open. If a Chinese spy plane had accidently landed in the US, I would hope our first action would be to find out how the Chinese government would prefer to get their person home. My suggestion is that we put him or her in a first class seat on the next flight out to China. As for the damaged aircraft, maybe we could assist with mechanics and repair parts. This scenario, although perhaps a bit naive and simple, would be one of humane and just treatment.