[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 14 (Monday, April 9, 2001)]
[Pages 560-561]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the United States Navy Aircraft Incident in the South China 
Sea

April 2, 2001

    Late Saturday night in Washington, Sunday morning in China, a United 
States naval maritime patrol aircraft on a routine surveillance mission 
in international airspace over the South China Sea collided with one of 
two Chinese fighters that were shadowing our plane. Both our aircraft 
and a Chinese aircraft were damaged in the collision. Our aircraft made 
an emergency landing at an airfield on China's Hainan Island.
    We have been in contact with the Chinese Government about this 
incident since Saturday night. From our own information, we know that 
the United States naval plane landed safely. Our Embassy in Beijing has 
been told by the Chinese Government that all 24 crewmembers are safe.
    Our priorities are the prompt and safe return of the crew and the 
return of the aircraft without further damaging or tampering. The first 
step should be immediate access by our Embassy personnel to our 
crewmembers. I am troubled by the lack of a timely Chinese response to 
our request for this access. Our Embassy officials are on the ground and 
prepared to visit the crew and aircraft as soon as the Chinese 
Government allows them to do so, and I call on the Chinese Government to 
grant this access promptly.
    Failure of the Chinese Government to react promptly to our request 
is inconsistent with standard diplomatic practice and with the expressed 
desire of both our countries for better relations.
    Finally, we have offered to provide search and rescue assistance to 
help the Chinese Government locate its missing aircraft and pilot. Our 
military stands ready to help.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 11:38 a.m. on the South Grounds at the 
White House.

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