Here`s What A Shooting War With China Might Look Like

Japanese and US warships perform maneuvers at sea. Far Eastern Potato

Here's What A Shooting War In The East China Sea Might Look Like -- Popular Mechanics

Tensions are escalating as China tries to claim a new zone of airspace authority—which the U.S. promptly ignores. Here's what to expect if this cold war involving Japan, China, the U.S., and other East Asian nations heats up.

This past weekend China escalated tensions in the East China Sea by unilaterally establishing what it calls an Air Defense Identification Zone that includes islands claimed by other nations. China released a map and coordinates of this zone, demanding that any aircraft report to China before entering the airspace, declaring that its armed forces "will adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not cooperate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions."

This posturing got an early test on Monday when the United States flew two B-52s straight through the zone China has claimed, with no response from China. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has said the flight, which took off from Guam, was part of a prescheduled exercise. But it seems clear that the U.S. is also sending a message that it won't respect such a claim. "We view this development as a destabilizing attempt to alter the status quo in the region," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said this weekend. "This unilateral action increases the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculations."

Read more ....

My Comment: This is one scenario among many .... and while this scenario is focused on a military exchange .... it will be the political/economic battles on the international stage that will be the most consequential.