April 11, 2001
An agreement has been reached to bring home the flight crew of our EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft on Hainan Island.
The US Ambassador has received verbal assurances from the Chinese government that the air crew will be allowed to leave promptly. Ambassador Prueher has delivered to the Chinese government a letter concerning this incident and we are working out with the Chinese government the arrangements for departure.
George W. Bush, Statement by the Press Secretary Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/279336