The United States has been flying spy planes along China's coast all along: recall the mid-air collision over Hainan Island that killed a Chinese pilot back on April 1, 2001. Those surveillance planes collect intelligence and monitor all sorts of activities, seriously disrupting the normal activities of China's nuclear subs operating in China's littoral sea.

It is a brazen hostile act. Yet Washington blames a Chinese fighter jet flying "too close" for its decision to identify and monitor the intruder.

Would Washington tolerate it if China flew its war planes along the Hawaiian coast line?

Washington also faces the dilemma of whether to bomb its own creation, the Islamic State in Syria. According to press reports, Barack Obama has approved reconnaissance flights over Syria without permission, let alone coordination, from the Syrian authorities. It is brazen aggression in violation of international law.

These examples of the culture of arrogance are based on American exceptionalism: the United States is doing God's work. It can willfully violate international law with immunity!

This is American hubris.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/zhaojinglun.htm

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