Ehrlich on Washington column, April 23, 2001

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 2 1 093 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of April 23, 2001 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. America Must Hold Beijing Accountable Over the past three weeks, Americans have been riveted to media reports about the collision between a U.S. surveillance plane and a Chinese jet fighter. We all worried for the health and safe return of our fellow Americans, and were troubled over the loss of superior technologies and property. Now that our brave men and women have safely returned home, let’s take a closer look at this incident. Each major industrialized nation conducts routine surveillance as part of the international commitment to peace in an increasingly sophisticated, integrated world. On April 1 , a Chinese fighter pilot, attempting to intercept a U.S. surveillance plane, collided with the American aircraft - crashing his jet and nearly killing 24 Americans. After an eleven day detainment on the Chinese island of Hainan, America’s crew returned home safe and in good spirits. Americans can be encouraged by the Bush Administration’s resolve during this incident, and the President’s refusal to accept blame for China’s unprovoked aggression. Communist China has long claimed the vast China Seas as its own, including the island of Taiwan, extensive oil and natural gas reserves, rich fishing grounds, and key international sea lanes. China’s claim ignores the fact that such territories and seas are already claimed by sovereign nations and protected by international agreements. As China’s economy grows, so does its military’s capability and reach — thereby threatening peace with several longtime U.S. Allies in these territories, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Despite these trends, the Clinton-Gore Administration pursued an “engagement-at-any-price” policy with communist China. The former administration bowed to China’s expansionist policy and pampered an antagonistic regime that has amassed a notoriously poor record on important issues such as human rights, arms control, and protection of intellectual property. c