Bush’s ‘Regret’ Unnecessary to Save China’s Red Face

President Bush swallowed hard and said “we regret” the death of a Chinese fighter pilot who rammed a U.S. reconnaissance plane over international waters.

Are Bush’s words an apology, a near apology, condolences, an admission of guilt, or an insult to tender Chinese feelings? American and Chinese parse- masters stew over the translation.

At issue is blame for the aerial accident over the China Sea. At stake are long-term relations between two world giants.

Two Chinese fighter jets streaked up to harass a propeller-driven unarmed American surveillance plane. This game of chicken has been going on for years. This time, a known “hot-dog” pilot -- named (appropriately) Wong Wey -- bumped into the U.S. plane.

Wey crashed into the sea and has not been found. The pilot of the heavily damaged U.S. craft – with 24 crewmembers, including three women -- barely managed to make an emergency landing on the Chinese island of Hainan. China complains that the U.S. pilot didn’t ask permission.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin says the mid-air collision was “entirely the fault of the Americans” and demanded an “apology.”

This rhetoric is typical of Chinese communist leaders when they are caught bullying their neighbors or their own people.

There must be a Chinese word for such a tactic, but Americans use the Yiddish word chutzpah – accuse the victim for your crime. “Please, your honor, excuse me for murdering my parents. I’m an orphan.”

Bush, only 11 weeks into his presidency, tersely expressed “regret” in order to blunt Chinese belligerency. However, he has made it clear he will not apologize because “we have done no wrong.”

International rules extend nation sovereignty 12 miles seaward. The American plane was 50 miles east of China. That country claims 200 miles of “economic zone” sovereignty. That is, all the China Sea, including the sovereign state of Taiwan.

Bush considers China at fault for harassment and reckless conduct in international airspace. Secretary of State Colin Powell described the Chinese pilots’ actions “bumper cars in the sky.”

Chinese leaders must be careful not to overdue false indignation. Their recent surge in economic prosperity has come with favorable entry into the U.S. market through “most favored nation” low-tariff status engineered by President Clinton.

The China military has managed to build an intercontinental missile – tested by launches over Japan and into space – with technology purchased illegally or stolen from American companies.

China strenuously objects to Taiwan’s request for sale of U.S. guided-missile destroyers – while China sells guided missiles to rouge nations around the world. It also seeks World Trade Organization membership and the 2008 Olympics.

Much is made of China’s necessity to “save face.” Where is it carved in stone that Occidentals must kowtow to the Orientals’ inferiority complex? Saving some one’s face requires smashing someone else’s face.

Reality of the present situation is that it is another challenge in the contest between Communism and Capitalism.

The danger is that China’s communist leaders might get desperate at losing control of the world’s largest nation. If some other “hot dogs” blunder into shooting Americans, or U.S. allies, then World War III will be upon us.

War with China probably will occur some day. Not this time, I hasten to say, because the Peoples Republic of China does not yet have the military hardware to make aggression stick.

However, in another generation -- perhaps with a militarily weaker United States -- the showdown could come. Six billion people need a lot of room and natural resources. A big war would thin out the population, gain the assets of defeated neighbors and demonstrate big face.

Big questions.

Will the Chinese people stay docile to totalitarian government under the impact of communication technology? Television and the Internet provide global interaction for today’s Chinese. No neighboring nation threatens China, but uprisings by the Chinese themselves are common in its history.

Will the United States be ready, willing and able to send their sons and daughters into combat should Chinese despots launch a final challenge to de-facto personal freedoms?

Big answer.

International flight rules require planes to stay apart by at least 1,000 feet. Thus, the U.S. is justified in sending along an armed escort fighter plane to shoot down any other plane violating the thousand- foot rule.

Firmness of purpose now forestalls grief in the future.

PARTING SHOTS

Barbara Streisand sent a 15-page memo to Pentagon officials blistering them for sending surveillance aircraft near China: “The Chinese are nice people, and their military donated generously to President Clinton’s re-election campaign.” Move over, Jane Fonda.

* * *

A Miami Herald review of Florida’s popular vote for president – using the Dem standard that any pinprick or pencil-dot should be counted – reveals that W would have won by 1,665 votes instead of the official 537. Give up Al.

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist

Williams – china2

Sunday – April 8, 2001

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