Thirteen years ago,a mid-air crash between a U.S.surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet off south China’s Hainan Island resulted in the disap-pearance and presumed death of the Chinese pilot.The American plane,severely damaged,was forced to make an emergency landing on the island.A diplomatic row ensued,and bilateral relations plunged to a low point.While the past decade has witnessed an across-the-board expansion in positive Sino-U.S.ties,risks of such Thirteen years ago, a mid-air crash between a US surveillance fleet and a Chinese fighter jet off south China’s Hainan Island resulted in the disap-pearance and presumed death of the Chinese pilot. The severely damaged, was forced to make an emergency landing on the island. A diplomatic row ensued, and bilateral relations plunged to a low point. Whilst the past decade has witnessed an across-the-board expansion in positive Sino-USties, risks of such