U.S. B-52s flew over China's controversial new air defense zone

Quote:

Two U.S. military aircraft flew into China's newly claimed and challenged air defense zone over the East China Sea, a U.S. official said, an action that could inflame tensions between the world powers. The U.S. Air Force B-52 planes -- which were not armed because they were on a training mission -- set off Monday from Guam and returned there without incident. The mission lasted for several hours, and the aircraft were in China's newly declared air zone for about an hour, according to the U.S. official.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/26/world/...html?hpt=hp_t1



What gives China the right to develop such a zone over these areas? Is it because they claim it as their own? I don't envision this little zone they established lasting long, seeing as how within two days of establishing it we flew some B52s over it, pilots with their middle fingers fully extended from the cockpit (I am assuming the pilots had their middle fingers up).

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