China warns Japan over ADIZ. -Tokyo aircraft ignore ‘no fly’ notices

China's Ministry of National Defense on Sunday warned Japan to stop all reconnaissance and interference activities after China scrambled jets on Saturday when Japanese aircraft entered China's East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) during its maritime exercises with Russia.

The ministry said the Japanese aircraft had entered the zone despite "no fly" notices being issued ahead of the exercises.

"Japanese military planes intruded on the exercise's airspace without permission and carried out dangerous actions, in a serious violation of international laws and standards, which could have easily caused a misunderstanding and even led to a mid-air accident," the ministry said.

China had proposed urgent talks, it said, and demanded that Japan "respect the lawful rights of China's and Russia's navies ... and stop all reconnaissance and interference activities. Otherwise Japan will bear any and all consequences from this."

Japan on Sunday said a Chinese fighter flew within roughly 30 meters of a Japanese military aircraft.

A Japanese defense ministry spokesman said a Chinese SU-27 jet on Saturday flew close to a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane above the waters where the countries' air defense identification zones overlap.

Another Chinese SU-27 fighter also flew close to a Japanese YS-11EB plane in the same airspace, the ministry said.

• One fighter jet approached to within about 50 meters and the other was as close as 30 meters to the Japanese planes, according to the spokesman.

• Chinese aircraft were scrambled to "identify and take protective measures" against the Japanese planes, the Chinese defense ministry said in a statement on its website.

"It is normal and reasonable for Chinese jets to fly close to a Japanese surveillance plane to show China's firm stance over the disputed area," a military expert who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Global Times. 

According to the expert, if a jet follows another plane at its rear, a distance of 30 meters is relatively safe. However if two jets approach each other at a certain angle, accidents could happen.

"Judging from description from the Japanese defense ministry, China showed no action of provocation. Chinese jets approached Japanese surveillance planes to verify their purpose in the zone, which is more than appropriate in the circumstance of a joint military drill," said the expert.

• China and Russia started joint naval exercises on Tuesday as their leaders promised to strengthen relations in the face of international criticism over their territorial disputes.

A total of 14 warships, two submarines, nine airplanes and six helicopters from both sides took part the three-day drill. The exercises ended on Sunday as all warships returned to a Shanghai port.

Commanders of the two navies will hold discussions on the drill on Monday, while China's Zhengzhou missile destroyer and Russia's Varyag missile cruiser will be open to citizens in Shanghai to visit.
 [globaltimes.cn]
26/5/14
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