China says the US can remove it's EP-3 aircraft. But, without giving a reason, China forbids the aircraft to be flown out. American engineers who inspected the EP-3 determined that, with a few repairs, the EP-3 could be flown out. Apparently the Chinese are forcing the US to cut up and ship the EP-3 home as a way to score a few more political points at home and put one of the EP-3s out of action for many months.