English: Logo of the People’s Daily 中文: 人民日报题字 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This editorial is the most-read article today in China‘s important, semi-official newspaper, the People’s Daily. It argues that the U.S. Navy accused China once again of conducting “unsafe and unprofessional” maneuvers near U.S. military aircraft sent to spy on China. Reports claim that two Chinese fighter jets intercepted a P-3 Orion surveillance plane over the South China Sea on Wednesday. BUT the article concludes ‘How ridiculous it is for the U.S. Navy to complain after jeopardizing China’s security and interests. Such behavior makes one think of a Chinese idiom: the wicked are the first to complain’.

Commentary: The wicked are first to complain – People’s Daily Online

Whatever perspective, you take on the dangerous military escalation in Asia, the wild card is the unpredictability of President Trump’s response. World leaders must be fearful of Trump’s overreaction and a heightened risk of WWIII.

English: Lockheed P-3 Orion with large radar tracer system, owned and operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)