Several recent events highlight some deep levels of friction between the US and China.

 

A Chinese J-11 fighter (based on the Russian Su-27) came dangerously close (some reports say 20 feet) to a US Navy P-8 anti-submarine plane 135 miles off the coast of Hainan Island.  The J-11 did a barrel roll over the P-8 (think of the scene from Top Gun) and also made a point of displaying its underside exposing a load of air to aor missiles.  The P-8 is the most advanced US anti-submarine flying.  It can employ missiles bombs and is also capable of intelligence gathering.

 

The US protested the Chinese fighter’s aggressive flying.  China characterized the pilot’s actions as professional and that the US should reduce short range reconnaissance missions against China.

 

In an unrelated development but potentially symptomatic of US-Chinese relations, in downtown Beijing a giant screen endlessly loops the unrest in Jefferson Missouri and the beheading of journalist James Foley by ISIS terrorists.  “That’s Beijing” editor-in-chief Steve George told Qz.com, “This type of juxtaposition is fairly common in China,” adding that it’s typical China to contrast images of a peaceful and successful China against clips of world violence, creating a narrative of “chaos looms beyond our pleasant and safe borders.”

 

The USS Carl Vinson carrier group including the carrier the guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill and three guided missile destroyers, the USS Gridley, USS Sterett, and USS Dewey  left San Diego for a Pacific cruise Friday.  Carrier strike groups typically include an unseen submarine.  The Navy characterized the deployment as “planned”.  It will link up with the USS George Washington carrier strike group based out of Japan.