Chronology of U.S.-China Standoff

April 12, 2001 -- Here is a chronology of events since the top-secret U.S. plane and a Chinese fighter collided on Sunday, sparking the crisis.

April 1A U.S. EP-3 Navy patrol aircraft, on a "routine surveillance" mission over the South China Sea, collides inmid-air with a Chinese fighter at 9:15 a.m. local time (8:15 p.m. ET Saturday).

The U.S. plane, which contains classified electroniceavesdropping equipment, makes an emergency landing on thesouthern Chinese island of Hainan without permission.

China and the U.S. blame each other for theincident, in which the Chinese jet was downed and its pilot wentmissing.

April 2

Bush says he is "troubled" by the Chinese government'sinaction. He demands access to the crew and the plane's return "without any further tampering."

A U.S. defense official says three warships are remainingin the area to "monitor the situation." They later move on. April 3U.S. ambassador to China says Chinese have been "allover" the top-secret spy plane. One U.S. official sayssatellite images show the Chinese tinkering with the craft.

U.S. diplomats obtain first direct contact with plane'screw and find the 21 men and three women in good health.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin says United States must"bear full responsibility" for the midair tangle. Asking for an apology, he also calls on Bush to halt all spy flights near China's coast.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says the UnitedStates has "nothing to apologize for" and refers to the crew as "detained."

Bush tells reporters it is time for the crew and plane tocome home. He says the accident has "the potential ofundermining our hopes for a fruitful and productiverelationship between our two countries."

April 4Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan berates the United States for "arrogance" and "repeated errors."

U.S. defense officials say the surveillance plane crewdestroyed all sensitive reconnaissance data on board before the craft was taken over by the Chinese military.

Jiang, leaving for a visit to six South Americancountries, repeats his call for an American apology. The United States spurns the demand.

Powell expresses regret over the loss of the Chinesepilot and reinforces the gesture with a letter. The White House says it is up to China to avert an international incident.

China's ambassador to the United States says thesurveillance plane is not sovereign U.S. territory and willstay in China pending an investigation.

April 5China Foreign Ministry spokesman says U.S. regrets are "astep in the right direction" but repeats demand for a fullapology.

Bush says he regrets the apparent loss of the Chinesepilot. He says he does not want the dispute to destabiliseSino-U.S. relations but adds that the crew should come home. April 6

U.S. officials have second meeting with crew. No Chinese officials are present. U.S. officials say the crew are in "high spirits."

In Washington, Powell says that there is "movement" and that he is "encouraged." U.S. and Chinese officials are exchanging precise ideas and papers on how to exchange explanations.

April 7

U.S. officials meet with eight members of the crew in their third meeting.

Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen sends a letter to Powell saying that U.S. refusal to apologize is not acceptable.

April 8

Powell appears on Sunday morning shows expressing that the United States is "sorry" for the loss of the Chinese pilot. He cautions that there is damage being done with the cancellation of official trips to China, although he says the damage is reversible.

April 9

U.S officials meet with 24 members of the flight crew.

U.S. officials cancel plans to attend a previously scheduled social event at the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

April 10

The Rev. Jesse Jackson calls Powell offering to lend his services as a private citizen to deliver messages to the Chinese. Powell declines in favor of the diplomatic channels already at work.

Fifth meeting with the crew with takes place in Hainan.

Diplomacy is stalled while the Chinese decide how to proceed. Ambassador Prueher has no meeting in Beijing. There are no high level meeting scheduled in Washington. A State Dept official says, "We've done as much as we can, it's time to release the crew."

State Dept is agreeing with decisions by congressional delegations to cancel their trips to China.

April 11

Ambassador Prueher delivers a letter to the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing that expresses that the United States is "very sorry" for the loss of the pilot and "very sorry" for landing in Hainan without permission.China announces the release of the crew.

Powell contends that this is not an apology, that we still need to work on the return of the plane, and that the damage is reversible.

Crew leaves Hainan for Guam island on a chartered Continental airlines Boeing 737.

April 12Crew leaves Guam for Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, on board the military C-17 Globemaster "Spirit of Bob Hope" transport jet.