[quote]America for protesting when China give back as good as they got and China for conducting an activity they have previously labelled illegal.[/quote] There's a difference, though. America patrols China's EEZ with defensive reasons in mind, we're trying to ensure that China doesn't make a territorial grab. This makes China think twice and our allies less prone to irrational actions. Our position in the Pacific is one of complete deterrence, not offense. [quote]Not that it will make much of a difference in the long run; both countries have too much invested in one another to even contemplate war.[/quote] I disagree; China and other Asian nations are facing a massive nationalistic surge. Unfortunately, nationalism tends to overshadow logic in policy decisions. So even though it's within China's interest to maintain the status quo, it's very possible that they might want to change it... through military means.