China has announced that they are erecting an “air defense zone” or no-fly zone over the East China Sea. The alleged zone encompasses some uninhabited islands currently contested between China and Japan.

In a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vice President Biden, the Chinese president insisted on China’s right to maintain their air defense zone, regardless of America’s refusal to recognize it. Despite the breakdown, Vice President Biden focused on nurturing good relations between the two nations.
The article also highlights the meeting as a suggested turning point in the focus of American foreign policy from the Middle East to Asia.
“As we’ve discussed in the past, this new model of major-country cooperation ultimately has to be based on trust, and a positive notion about the motive of one another,” Biden said.
“The relationship that you and President Obama have established thus far is full of promise, and real opportunity for us,” Biden told Xi, according to a pool report.
Whether this spirit of cooperation between the two countries persist in the short and long-term remains to be seen. The meeting between Xi and Biden lasted more than two hours, according to reports, and allegedly covered every topic in U.S.-Chinese relations. Part of this discussion touched on the precedent iran’s new nuclear deal sets for international relations with North Korea going forward. Given that the P5+1 has shown willingness to encourage civilian nuclear development among countries with troubled relationships with the West, it is conceivable North Korea could pursue a similar path. A nuclear North Korea would further complicate the relationships between China, North Korea, and the United States.

Regarding the air defense zone itself, the article suggests that the United States is concerned that China’s implementation of the zone suggests an aggressive policy in pursuing its national interests in the region. “China is asking aircraft entering its air defense zone to identify themselves and submit flight plans.” While the actual implementation does not seem too drastic at this point, there are concerns that it is just a first step in China’s attempt to control the region.

China “says the zone is similar to others maintained by nations around the world, saying that it is not asserting territorial control over the airspace and that legitimate commercial traffic will continue to move through the region unhindered.” While Japan has instructed its commercial airline pilots to ignore the alleged zone, the United States is asking its commercial pilots to comply, even while its military pilots refuse to recognize the zone.
Should the United States recognize the air defense zone? Are there positive or negative implications if the U.S. does so? How should America pursue relations with China given these developments?