U.S. Pacific Fleet chief joins surveillance of South China Sea

The U.S., Swift stressed, doesn’t take sides in the territorial rifts

...just high profile escalations

This is a well-reasoned and proportionate response to China's provocations: Public and high profile, without being militarily provocative.

South China Sea is international airspace regardless of what the Chinese government says.

The PLAN's declared goal is to replace the USN as the dominant strategic power in East Asia. The problem with that is that nobody else in Asia likes that idea. And by extension, nobody else on this planet.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila had no immediate reaction to the Pacific Fleet commander taking part in the surveillance flight.

Then you don't own it.

I hope the mission went out with fighter CAP since it was a high asset value aircraft. Fighters probably couldn't be "seen"...

No sure if Scott Swift inspected the other islands occupied by Vietnam and Philippines.

Ting ZhaoJul. 20, 2015 - 11:14AM JST No sure if Scott Swift inspected the other islands occupied by Vietnam and Philippines.

No need. Unlike China, neither Vietnam nor the Philippines are claiming the entire South China Sea.

Good. It's time China learned it can't just take or make new territory.

Freedom of navigation is paramount for the economic well-being of all parties concerned. The Government of China must except this overriding principal.

I can imagine the response. China's nuclear ballistic and attack submarines, destroyers and others patroling a thousand miles or less from US coasts especially in South America, putting all points in US within range of China's nuclear missiles (SLBM), land-attack cruise missiles (LACM), and so on. What a great contribution to world peace by both sides !

Because these planes were so effective in finding MH370, they are a sure bet to protect any nation from enemy submarines.

What happens if Chinese warships, nuclear submarines, etc, join surveillance of the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, etc, near US coasts ?

God Bless the United States of America!

What happens if Chinese warships, nuclear submarines, etc, join surveillance of the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, etc, near US coasts ?

The US won't care.

This just happened off the coasts of Alaska and California, but people didn't even hear about it since it's no big deal from the side of the US:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152026/US-fighter-jets-scrambled-intercept-Russian-bombers-Alaska-California-Independence-Day.html

As long as it's done over international waters and airspace, the U.S. will keep an eye alongside but won't whine about it. They know it's allowed over international waters and airspace.