China's Million Dollar Bill

China has requested payment of a one million dollar payment for costs associated with the downing of the American surveillance plane and crew. It sounds a bit more like a ransom being asked for after the kidnapped plane and crew have been released.

The plane and crew could have been returned to the US within days of the accident if the Chinese government hadn't insisted on holding the crew, threathening to put them on trial and kept them off limits to US Consulate authorities. Same with the plane. It could have been repaired and flown off or trucked off much earlier if the again the Chinese government hadn't insisted on holding it for weeks and then only allowing it to be airlifted of the island.

I suggest the US send the Chinese government a bill for the cost of repairing the plane and the salaries of the detained crew for their time spent in captivity.

7/20/01
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