My own view is we've traded enough apologies,'' said Rockefeller, D-W.Va., who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee. The first 'very sorry' was fine. Rockefeller said the Chinese most likely have combed the plane to retrieve information about its technology and intelligence-gathering capabilities in the month since the American pilot made his emergency landing. Tensions flared twice this week after Bush announced the sale of submarines and destroyers to Taiwan and again after the president said the United States might help defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack. Rockefeller has long had an interest in the region and is head of the United States-Republic of China Business Council, the highest level of contact between the two countries.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that is part of mainland China.
Ambiguity is hugely important and a much more effective and a strategically helpful way to deal with the mainland,'' Rockefeller said. Write a letter to the editor .