主题：空中雄姿——丝带首飞图 -- 奔雷子

The test of the J-20 aircraft ... underscores the opposition China's military has to Gates's trip and its increasing efforts to set the tone of China's foreign policy, even at the risk of making Hu appear out of the loop.

Gates is on a mission to improve ties with the People's Liberation Army, which suspended high-level contacts last January following a large U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. He has not been to China since 2007 and a previous attempt to come here - last June - was rebuffed by the PLA.

Western military officials have said China's military was not happy about resuming high-level talks with the Pentagon and had been forced into welcoming Gates to Beijing because Hu is traveling to Washington next week for his second - and probably last - summit with President Obama.

The PLA has flatfooted China's civilians before, but has never so publicly snubbed the president and general secretary of the ruling Communist Party.

On Jan. 11, 2006, the PLA shot down a Chinese satellite with a missile during its first anti-satellite weapons test. When asked about it, China's foreign ministry spokesman said it was just a rumor. Top Chinese diplomats overseas had no idea it had occurred.

Later, however, the Pentagon confirmed the test, and China's foreign ministry ultimately acknowledged that it had occurred.