President Bush appears to be determined to get them returned and not to offer a needless apology to China. The 24 Americans were aboard a Navy plane that was making a routine electronic surveillance in the international airspace over the China sea when Chinese military aircraft intercepted and one collided with the U.S. plane. The U. S. plane was forced to make an emergency landing in China. China's military leaders wield a substantial influence over domestic policy and in this case appear to be in charge. That would be unthinkable in a free nation such as the United States, but in a communist nation force is more important than votes in determining who is to rule.
All nations collect intelligence information as part of their national defense efforts.
Not to do so would be to invite attack. For many years, for example, Russian aircraft would operate just off the First Coast, and National Guard aircraft would scramble to intercept them. The Russians might have been gathering electronic intelligence but more likely were trying to gauge the nation's air defense readiness capabilities. Bush should begin to pursue non-military options soon, if the stalemate continues. Trade sanctions might penalize U.S. companies as well as China, but for this cause they are not likely to complain.