China Sends Fighter Jets to New Defense Zone

Edited by Juan Leandro
2013-11-29 13:21:45

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Beijing, November 29 (RHC)-- The Chinese military has sent fighter jets and an early warning aircraft on patrol into its newly declared air zone in the East China Sea. In Beijing, the People's Liberation Army Air Force made the announcement in a statement issued on Thursday.

The Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the jets flew into the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) to strengthen monitoring on targets in the area. The Chinese air force described the mission as a defensive measure in line with international law. Beijing says the country's air force will remain on high alert and take measures to deal with all air threats to protect national security.

Meanwhile, China accused Japan of being "hypocritical" for complaining about the air defense zone. Responding to protests against the move, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said on Thursday that the air defense zone "is neither territorial airspace, nor a no-fly zone."

"It's an airspace set up by a country outside its territorial airspace to allow time for early-warning and ensure national air defense," Yang told reporters in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang also defended the move as a justified act of self-defense in line with international practice.

Last weekend, Beijing demanded that all aircraft provide their flight plan, declare their nationality and maintain two-way radio communication before entering the airspace, or face “defensive emergency measures." South Korea, Japan and the United States have all rejected China's demand that all aircraft flying over the new zone should provide full flight plans.

Both Tokyo and Seoul have announced that they have flown through the zone without informing Beijing. The U.S. also sent two unarmed bombers over the zone on Tuesday to test the waters.



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