Charges and demands exchanged between two nations in a flurry that could become an armed conflict. What will happen since the president demands return of our airmen and the multi-million dollar airplane that was accidentally hit when flying close to China's air space yesterday? First reports indicated that a Chinese fighter plane buzzed our reconnaissance plane and whether intentionally or not, got too close and damaged the plane, causing it to seek immediate landing. The pilot chose to land safely on a Chinese island rather than risk a chance in the deep waters of the Pacific. Was he wisely saving his crew and aircraft expecting to be received as casual visitors? Was he arrogant in believing his crew would be treated according to international law? Was he expecting an apology for being damaged by the Chinese fighter? Was he relieved that his plane was still airborne when the offending fighter disappeared into the deep sea?

Perhaps we will hear tomorrow that China will return the plane and crew to the United States as demanded by Pentagon officials. China was given the most favored nation status by President George Herbert Walker Bush early in the 1990's. Australians showed disdain toward that American president when he visited in 1992. As a tourist at the time, I was spared the criticism but the newspapers were not so silent. Articles acclaimed that China, a US adversary during World War II, received favored nation trade status, but Australia, a friendly country that welcomed US service men to their shores for R&R during that same notorious war, was not given the distinction and the associated trade. Australia's population was 18 million and China's was over 1 billion. Which country offered more purchasing power and cheaper labor for US industry that was given tax dollars to relocate for the advantage?

The pentagon and other policy makers will be reminded of that fact before too many feathers are ruffled. China insists the US is at fault so the demands might be restated but I don't think Chinese leaders will back off gracefully. Check the news tomorrow.