[AmericanExceptionalist]

I am somewhat ambivalent about this, since I would not wish to see innocent civilians killed.

Still, it strikes me as being most unlikely that China would respond in such a ham-handed manner, thereby creating an international consensus against it.

And there is a certain inconsistency here--a mixed message ("We don't agree with your territorial claims, but we are going to act as if we do") that I find rather disturbing...

[GeronL]

I think it is always a good idea for civilian airliners to ID themselves to anyone who queries them, just for the sake of safety

[Cyber Liberty]

I am somewhat ambivalent about this, since I would not wish to see innocent civilians killed.

Dittos. I don't like the idea of using the lives of innocent civilian airline passengers as pawns. If a country is threatening to shoot them down, avoid them until the argument is settled. I don't think that's "being a pansy."