US presses concerns over Chinese air zone

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday pressed its concerns over China’s newly declared air defense zone, a day after American B-52s flew over the disputed area in the East China Sea.

Vice President Joe Biden will confront the Chinese leadership about the controversial issue during a pre-planned trip to Beijing next week, senior administration officials said.

"Clearly, the visit to China creates an opportunity for the vice president to discuss directly with policymakers in Beijing this issue, to convey our concerns directly and to seek clarity regarding the Chinese intentions in making this move at this time," one official told reporters.

"It also allows the vice president ... to make the broader point that there is an emerging pattern of behavior by China that is unsettling to Chinas own neighbors and raising questions about how China operates in international space and how China deals with areas of disagreement with its neighbors."

Announced over the weekend, the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) requires aircraft to provide their flight plan, declare their nationality and maintain two-way radio communication, or face defensive emergency measures.

The move has fueled tensions with Japan since the zone covers Tokyo-controlled islands -- known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China -- where ships and aircraft from the two countries already shadow each other in a potentially dangerous confrontation.

Earlier Wednesday, China insisted it has the ability to enforce its newly-declared air zone over those islands.

"The Chinese government has the will and ability to defend our national sovereignty and security," Qin Gang, Beijings foreign ministry spokesman told reporters.

The defense ministry, meanwhile, said it had "monitored" US B-52 bomber flights in its new zone, in an assertion of its authority that avoided threatening direct action.

The unarmed bombers took off from Guam on Monday on a scheduled flight in what American defense officials insist was a routine exercise.

The flight of the long-range Strato fortress planes was a clear warning that Washington would push back against what it considers an aggressive stance by Beijing.

But it was also a signal of US support for Japan, with which Washington has a security pact.

US defense chief Chuck Hagel praised Tokyo Wednesday for showing "appropriate restraint" in the wake of the announcement.

He also "reaffirmed longstanding US policy that Article V of the Japan-US Mutual Defense Treaty applies to the Senkaku Islands, and pledged to consult closely with Japan on efforts to avoid unintended incidents," according to a statement.According to the Jiji Press news agency, Japanese Defense Secretary Itsunori Onodera and Hagel spoke by phone for 30 minutes Wednesday during which they agreed to cooperate in pressuring China to abandon the zone.