CHINA SENDS FIGHTER JETS INTO DISPUTED AIR DEFENSEAREA

China Military Sends Fighter Jets Into Disputed Air Space Over East China Sea

Chinese Stealth Fighters, Photo U.S. Air Force

Story from The Huff Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/28/china-military-sends-air-jets_n_4356939.html

Editor's note:  In case you didn't track the news much over Thanksgiving, and don't feel bad about it, the U.S. general media didn't exactly treat this as front page, lead story news; here is a little catch up on the East China Sea situation. China established an air defense zone over the Japanese held SENKAKU Islands (which China calls the Diaoyus). The Japanese have administered an air defense zone continuously over the islands since 1950. China has announced that all over flights including civilian air liners must check in by radio with Chinese air defense authorities.The United States responded by sending in two B52 bombers unarmed and refusing to communicate with Chinese Air Defense. Nothing happened. Then Japan and South Korea sent in war planes and went unchallenged. While some of us were eating Thanksgiving dinner, China sent  fighter jets into the area legally violating Japan's sovereign air space, and went unchallenged. Interestingly while China was busy violating Japan's air space there was a TV news program being aired by a French news service exploring the U.S., Japanese, and South Korean response to the Chinese declaration of the illicit air defense zone. The theme of the show was "Did Beijing Blink First?" Well, the Dragon didn't come roaring out of its den to immediately start a shooting war, but as soon as the air space was clear it came out to foul it. China's brinkmanship is going to lead to disaster. China, so far shows no signs of acting responsibly and lawfully, and her neighbors continue to dust off their defense treaties with the U.S., build up their military forces, form alliances. As we noted previously, China is surrounded by angry neighbors and has completely forfeited for the time being any claim to regional leadership.

HERE IS A LEAD IN AND LINK TO THE LATEST COVERAGE OF THE CHINESE OVER FLIGHT FROM REUTERS AS PUBLISHED IN THE HUFF POST:

 "WASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - China's military sent several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft on patrol into disputed air space over the East China Sea on Thursday, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported, quoting a spokesman for the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

The move raises the stakes in a standoff with the United States, Japan and South Korea over the zone. Japan and South Korea sent their own military aircraft through the air space on Thursday."  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/28/china-military-sends-air-jets_n_4356939.html