叶林, 美国质疑中国为何军机运伤员 中国外交部：莫名其妙

choi

VOA Chinese, Apr 19, 2016.
http://www.voachinese.com/conten ... 160419/3292919.html

My comment:
(a) US and China are so at odds -- worse than the relationship between US and Russia, in my eyes -- that they simply do not see eye to eye.

(b) The following are in chronological order.
(i) VOA Chinese: "中国国防部星期一 [Apr 18] 在其网站上说"
(ii) "美国有线新闻网（CNN）星期二早些时候援引美国国防部发言人杰夫·戴维斯的话说"

Jamie Crawford, Jim Sciutto and Tim Schwarz, US Protests After Chinese Military Jet Lands on South China Sea Island. CNN, Apr 19, 2016 (9:06 AM ET).
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/18/po ... et-lands-on-island/

The statement ascribed to Mr Jeff Davis is not found in the website of US Department of Defense.
(iii) "美国国务院发言人约翰·柯比星期二在例行记者会上说"

John Kirby (spokesperson), Daily Press Briefing, US Department of State, Apr 19, 2016 (the monthly calendar, in th eright column, says the daily press briefing starts at 2 pm).
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2016/04/255961.htm

the pertinent portion about China, verbatim:

"QUESTION: Okay. On China, do you have any comment on the landing of Chinese military aircraft on Fiery Reef from Sunday?

MR KIRBY: Seen the reports of that. It’s difficult to understand why they – if it’s true, and we have no reason to doubt it, that – why they would use a military aircraft for some sort of medical treatment mission or evacuation or whatever it was they were doing. It’s difficult to understand why they needed a military aircraft for that. So again, we continue to make the case that militarization of outposts in the South China Sea is counterproductive to peace and stability in the region. But I’d point you to the PLA to speak to why they chose this particular aircraft for that particular mission. It’s difficult to see why it was necessary from our perspective.

"QUESTION: So the --

"QUESTION: So does that mean if it had been a civilian plane, you would not have an issue?

"MR KIRBY: It’s – if you have – there were --

"QUESTION: I mean, the U.S. runs medical trips on military aircraft all the time.

"MR KIRBY: Look, we’re not going to deny medical aid to people that need it. So, like, all I’m saying is that it’s difficult to understand why it had to be a military aircraft.

"QUESTION: Well, my question is – my question is: Is the – your issue is the fact that it was a military aircraft, or your issue is the fact that it was a plane, any plane at all landing on the reef?

"MR KIRBY: Well, as I understand it the workers were working on further infrastructure improvements of a military nature, so that still is a problem, right?

"QUESTION: Yeah.

"MR KIRBY: But if they’re sick and they need help, we’re not going to --

"QUESTION: Right. So they should fly in a civilian plane.

"MR KIRBY: We’re not going to take an issue with them having – getting help. I’m just – we’re simply asking the question. It seems odd that it had to be a military aircraft when it could have easily just been a civilian aircraft to get these folks the help they need.

"QUESTION: I don’t know, that’s just kind of odd. I mean, what difference does it make what kind of plane it was?

"MR KIRBY: One could argue that it’s just another sign that the Chinese are willing to keep militarizing the effort in general.

"QUESTION: But couldn’t it also be a sign that a military plane happened to be the one that was – could get there the quickest --

"MR KIRBY: Could very well be, which is why I said --

"QUESTION: -- (inaudible). All right.

"MR KIRBY: -- it’s difficult to understand why it had to be a military aircraft.