China scrambles fighter jets after zone incursions
Print Edition
China scrambled fighter jets yesterday to monitor US and Japanese aircraft in its new air defense zone over the East China Sea.
It was the second time in two days that fighters had been sent into the zone.
“Several combat aircraft were scrambled to verify the identities” of US and Japanese aircraft entering the air defense identification zone that China declared last Saturday, air force spokesman Shen Jinke said.
The Chinese aircraft, which included at least two fighter jets, identified two US surveillance aircraft and 10 Japanese aircraft, including an F-15 warplane.
Shen said the air force had a mission to monitor foreign aircraft inside the zone “throughout the entire process, with timely identification.”
China’s ADIZ covers the Diaoyu Islands at the center of a bitter dispute with Japan.
On Thursday, China sent several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft into the air defense zone.
Japan and South Korea also flew military aircraft through the zone, the two nations said on Thursday, while Washington sent two unarmed B-52 bombers into the airspace on Tuesday in a sign of support for its ally Japan. None had informed Beijing of their plans.
China said last week that foreign aircraft passing through its air defense zone would have to identify themselves to Chinese authorities.
Missions over the zone have jointly completed by the Air Force and Navy pilots over the past few days, Shen said.
The aircraft, including Russian-designed Su-30 fighter jets, conducted routine patrols and monitored targets in the zone.
“China’s air force is on high alert and will take measures to deal with diverse air threats to firmly protect the security of the country’s airspace,” he said.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said yesterday he did not know if Chinese planes were in the zone but added that there was no change to Tokyo’s sense of alertness.
Ties between China and Japan have been strained for months by the dispute over the islands in the East China Sea. Washington claims it does not take a position on sovereignty but recognizes Tokyo’s “administrative control” and says the US-Japan security pact applies to them.
Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported that the US and Japan planned to enhance military cooperation in the area, with Tokyo permanently stationing E-2C early-warning planes in Okinawa, and US Global Hawk unmanned drones expected to operate from Japan soon.
Europe’s top diplomat, Catherine Ashton, said the European Union is concerned about China’s decision to establish the new air defense zone.
“This development heightens the risk of escalation and contributes to raising tensions in the region,” Ashton said in a statement.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said yesterday Beijing hoped the EU can treat the situation “objectively and rationally.”
“Actually, Madam Ashton should know that some European countries also have air defense identification zones,” Qin said. “I don’t know if this leads to tensions in the European regional situation. European countries can have air defense identification zones. Why can’t China?”
Asked to clarify China’s expectations for what types of planes are expected to report, Qin said: “International law does not have clear rules on what kind of flight or airplane should apply,” adding that each country makes its own rules.
“Therefore, China’s method does not violate international law and accords with international practice.”
He said China’s ADIZ had not affected the flight order and normal fly-over in the air.
“If some worry has emerged about the situation, it’s agitated by some individual countries,” he said.
Qin rejected Japan’s criticism on China’s ADIZ as “unreasonable and out of ulterior motives.”
Japan’s own ADIZ was established in 1969 and had expanded twice since then. “Would the Japanese side tell other countries, does it have an ADIZ? Has it negotiated with other countries while it established and enlarged its ADIZ? How large is its ADIZ?” Qin said.
Although there are risks of a confrontation in the zone, US and Chinese military officials have stepped up communication with each other in recent years and are in regular contact to avoid accidental clashes.
US Vice President Joe Biden is visiting China, Japan and South Korea next week and will try to ease tensions over the issue, senior US administration officials said.
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