Evan,

>>International air safety conventions dictate that planes should never be within 200 ft of each other.
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>Sure, but who violated that?

Apparently, the Chinese pilot had something of a reputation for flying too close and the US had complained about him only about one month ago. Evidently he flew close enough so the US folks could read his email address. SOme folks were speculating that he had watched Top Gun one time too many. ,g>

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>>See response #1.
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>Huh? We haven't gotten any further here. We don't know who is to blame for the accident.

Sure you do. Just think through the dynamics of a bigger turbo-prop airplane that flies at, what, 550 MPH vs a jet that flies at what, Mach 2-3? Just think of a VW Jetta and a Ryder/U-Haul truck both going down the freeway. The Jetta would be much more nimble and able to stay away from the larger truck BUT if it got too close the dynamics of the airflow (say with a sudden side gust of wind? low pressure area in the air) could easily push the smaller vehicle into the larger.

Did he intend to do this? I doubt it but I think he was responsible for the entire incident in that he used faulty judgement and got too close.

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>>Oh, several. A 1919 convention about aircraft and sovereignty. Also a 1998 agreement between China and the US. And there is another treaty which I can't recall the year or location that also deals with these matters.
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>Let's see some links.
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>>Everybody says that the US would have done the same had the situation been reversed. But it once was reversed: In the 1970's a Soviet reconnaisance plane had mechanical problems and made an emergency landing at an American airbase in Alaska. The US helped them repair the plane and refueled it. Never interred the crew, never set foot on the plane, knowing full well at the time that it wold have been a violation of international agreements.
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>If the US had something to gain from either situation I am sure they would have done it, as most countries would. The US has little to gain from Russian or China communication equip.

Not the issue. The pilot IMO just did something very stupid, paid for it with his life and his government is doing the usual belligerant thing - blame first, call names and then quietly negotiate a close.

Watch - in the next few days some sort of agreement will come forth and all will be well. Neither side can afford an escalation at this point in time.