Zone in South China Sea ‘within China’s rights’
Print Edition
China has a sovereign right to establish a maritime air defense zone over another region as it did in the East China Sea, the Chinese envoy to the Philippines said yesterday.
The Philippines is locked in a long territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea.
When asked to comment about concerns that China might set up a similar zone over the South China Sea, Ambassador Ma Keqing told a news conference that it was within the right of the Chinese government to decide “where and when to set up the new air identification zone.”
She could not tell at this time if China would do so but she said the East China Sea zone’s designation should not spark concerns. “I think the target is not to trigger a conflict but to prevent, to pre-empt any tension to be raised in these areas,” Ma said. “This will not hinder any normal freedom of flights within this area if they’ve notified the Chinese authorities.”
The new US ambassador to Manila, Philip Goldberg, described China’s move as dangerous. “We do not believe that this is a move intended to build confidence or, in any other way, improve the situation,” Goldberg said.
Instead, China’s new zone “will create tension and the possibility of miscalculations and that’s never good ...” he told reporters.
While the US has not recognized the Chinese imposition, it has advised its carriers to comply to be safe. Goldberg said the US could not, with commercial aircraft, take chances of miscalculation, so it had recommended airlines to inform China of flight plans.
Beijing has said all aircraft entering the zone must notify Chinese authorities beforehand otherwise it would take defensive measures.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
