[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 14 (Monday, April 9, 2001)]
[Pages 571-572]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Calling on China To Return the United States Military Crew and 
Surveillance Aircraft

April 3, 2001

    Good afternoon. I want to report to the American people, and 
especially to the families involved, that I've just talked with 
Brigadier General Sealock, who earlier today met with our 24 men and 
women in China.
    The general tells me they are in good health; they suffered no 
injuries; and they have not been mistreated. I know this is a relief to 
their loved ones and to all Americans.
    Our crewmembers expressed their faith in America, and we have faith 
in them. They send their love to their families. They said they're 
looking forward to coming home, and we are looking forward to bringing 
them home.
    This is an unusual situation in which an American military aircraft 
had to make an emergency landing on Chinese soil. Our approach has been 
to keep this accident from becoming an international incident. We have 
allowed the Chinese Government time to do the right thing. But now it is 
time for our service men and women to return home, and it is time for 
the Chinese Government to return our plane.
    This accident has the potential of undermining our hopes for a 
fruitful and productive relationship between our two countries. To keep 
that from happening, our service men and women need to come home.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 4:03 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks,

[[Page 572]]

he referred to Brig. Gen. Neal Sealock, USA, U.S. Embassy Defense 
Attache in Beijing. On Sunday, April 1, a U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries II 
electronic surveillance aircraft made an emergency landing on China's 
Hainan Island after a mid-air collision with a Chinese F-8 fighter jet 
over the South China Sea. The 24-member crew (21 men and 3 women), 
consisting of one Marine, one Air Force and 22 Navy personnel, have been 
held by the Chinese since the incident. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of these remarks.