Americans are comfortable talking about freedom of the seas ...

The Day America Lost Asia

By MICHAEL AUSLIN

While Washington and the world furiously debated the interim agreement between Iran and the United States over the weekend, Nov. 24, 2013, may go down in history as the day America lost Asia.

Starting this past Sunday, China began air patrols over its newly designated “air defense identification zone” over the East China Sea—home to a chain of islands disputed with Japan—and within 24 hours Beijing turned 80 years of free aerial navigation on its head. China’s move is no less dramatic than Iran’s potential victory in gaining the right to enrich uranium: Absent an effective U.S. response, China has successfully begun changing the rules of international security in East Asia. And with a whimper, not a bang, Washington may begin losing its influence in Asia, despite its still-preponderant strength.

Here are four things the world should note about China’s bold move.

• First, let’s call it what it is. Beijing has declared an air control zone, not a defense zone. ...

• Second, Beijing’s announcement is a direct challenge to Japan and Korea, since China’s new control zone overlaps those of both Tokyo and Seoul. ...

• Third, regardless of what the United States does, the danger is that the tide of regional trends is headed in China’s favor. ...

• Fourth, this is just the beginning.  ...

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