'Akin to a flying pig'
A delegation of five U.S. officials arrived in Haikou, but only two attended the meeting with the crew, sources in China said. Some U.S. officials met with Chinese officials prior to the meeting with the crew. A sixth official remained in the city of Sanya, closer to where the Navy plane landed.

Quigley declined to characterize the status of the 24 crew members, declining to call them hostages or detainees. "I don't understand the clarity of the term that should be used," he told reporters. "I would defer to the diplomats on that."

Beijing was not accepting U.S. explanations.

"Jiang said we cannot understand why the United States is flying so close to the Chinese side, and after bumping our plane, they violated international law, landing without our permission," Zhu said. "So the United States should stop such practices in Chinese airspace, so this doesn't happen again in the interests of Sino-U.S. relations."

Zhu told reporters that China has the full right to inspect the plane. The United States considers the plane sovereign territory and, as such, should not be boarded by Chinese soldiers.

At a news conference at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington state, where the plane was based, the wing commander cast doubt on the Chinese account that the Navy plane had turned into the smaller Chinese fighter jet.

"Those of you who have seen the aircraft flying around here realize it's akin to a flying pig," Capt. William Marriott said. "It does not maneuver well."