Put China on Notice

On August 19, an American P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft, on routine patrol in international airspace off the east coast of China, was intercepted and harassed by a Chinese J-11 jet fighter. The Chinese plane’s combative pilot even made an extremely risky barrel roll just 50 feet above the American aircraft. No one can say what might have happened had the two collided and hit the sea in a fireball.

Washington protested only in a routine manner, but it is well known that our military and civilian leaders were shaken by the incident.