Analysis: U.S. inspection first step to securing plane?

The spy plane fallout among the Chinese public has been muted compared to the NATO's bombing of a Chinese embassy two years ago

In this story: Beijing calms down Muted response Symbol of wrongdoing RELATED STORIES, SITES

By CNN's Lisa Weaver

A group of U.S. technicians has arrived in China's Hainan province amid tight security in a bid to secure its downed surveillance plane.

The Lockheed Martin team will assess damage to the EP-3 plane to determine whether the craft can eventually be transported home.

QUOTE "We've got things moving in the right direction, " - said General Neal Sealock, who last month headed the U.S. diplomatic effort in Hainan that culminated in the release of the 24 crew members

The $80 million craft, which is missing its nosecone and part of one engine propeller, has been stranded on Hainan Island for over a month after it collided with a Chinese fighter jet.

While Beijing has not yet commented on the plane's return to the United States, diplomats and observers see China's move to allow the team to inspect the plane as the first step in breaking a month-long impasse over its fate.

U.S. Ambassador in Beijing Joseph Prueher, leaving his post the same day the technicians arrived in China, was cautiously optimistic.

"The thing that we all need to work for is trying to capture what can be, you know, the possibilities of the relationship between the US and China and try to build those foundations so that we can have dialogue and conversation and settle the hard spots in a constructive way."

Beijing calms down

Beijing seems to be sticking firm to its view that the U.S. craft caused the collision and that the United States should stop routine surveillance flights over the South China Sea.

But after Beijing made the inspection offer, state run media has slowed down its anti-US rhetoric.

One analysis that makes sense in explaining the shift in tone is that China's politicians -- with a number of different diplomatic priorities to balance -- may have taken over managing the issue from the military, with its more uncompromising approach.

"They want to reduce the external threat from the United States, but they also want to be sure that this issue will not be hijacked by the American right-wingers and racists in imposing a policy of containment against China," says Jia Qingguo, a professor of international relations at Peking University.

Muted response

But toned down rhetoric does not mean all wounds are healed.

Chinese chat-rooms are full of nationalistic sentiment aimed at America and its designs of regional dominance, and most citizens voice some degree of suspicion about U.S. military intent and why an American spy plane was flying close to China's borders.

But compared with the public outrage and protests that followed NATO's bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade two years ago, the spy plane fallout among the Chinese public has been muted.

Still, there is the issue of payments to China.

When Beijing announced the U.S. technicians could gain access to the plane in Hainan, it added that in ongoing diplomatic talks the United States had "considered" some form of payment to China.

The terse announcement fell short of calling such a payment compensation, and the United States quickly responded by saying money would only change hands to cover the costs of getting the plane out of China.

Symbol of wrongdoing

Observers say there's still pressure on the leadership to appeal to public sentiment by trying to extract from the United States a symbol of American wrongdoing.

"In the minds of the Chinese people, this is unacceptable. That the United States, after doing this, still refuses to acknowledge responsibility and refuses to pay for the damages," says Jia.

As to whether China will back down and accept something short of "sorry" with dollars attached, Jia concedes Beijing may have to make compromises.

"I don't know if the Chinese government can really accept that, but I think sometimes in international relations, justice does not prevail. "

China invites U.S. to inspect spy plane

Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America
U.S. Dept of Defense

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