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By Jethro Mullen and Yoko Wakatsuki
Thursday, November 28th, 2013
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China sent fighter jets into its newly claimed — and hotly disputed — air defense zone above the East China Sea on Thursday, the same day that Japan’s military firmly insisted its own patrols over the area wouldn’t stop because of Beijing’s declaration.
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force flew warplanes, including Su-30 and J-11 aircraft, into the “air defense identification zone” that Beijing announced last week, air force spokesman Col. Shen Jinke said. A KJ-2000 — an airborne radar early warning system — also took flight.
The Russian-developed Su-30 is a two-seat aircraft described by its manufacturer as “a highly maneuverable fighter” capable of hitting ground and sea-surface targets. The Chinese-made J-11 is a single-seat fighter also capable of ground attacks.
The fighter jets conducted “routine air patrols … aiming to strengthen monitoring on air targets in the zone and fulfill the air force’s historic mission,” Shen said in a statement posted on the Chinese defense ministry’s website.
Jinke portrayed the mission as a “defensive measure … in line with international practices.” China’s military has been on “high alert,” he added, and is prepared to act “based on different air threats to firmly ensure air-defense safety.”
What comes of Beijing’s latest foray over its controversial newly created zone remained to be determined early Friday. Still, some of its previous actions — including the declaration itself — have been met with staunch resistance by Japan and its longtime ally, the United States.
On Thursday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said his nation’s Self Defense Force has used ships and planes to patrol and conduct surveillance in the East China Sea since before China claimed the air defense zone that covers much of the sea.
And they wouldn’t stop, he insisted.
“We have no intention to change this operation in consideration for China,” Suga told reporters.
“… We will continue the surveillance/patrol operation with strong determination to protect our territory against China’s one-sided attempt to change the status quo by force.”
Japan isn’t alone in disobeying China, which has warned military measures could be taken if planes entering the zone fail to identify themselves and submit flight planes to Chinese authorities.
Two unarmed U.S. B-52 bombers recently flew through the area in what the U.S. State Department characterized as a planned military exercise.
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