Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




SUPERPOWERS
US presses 'concerns' over Chinese air zone
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) Nov 27, 2013


US telling airlines to stay safe in East China Sea
Washington (AFP) Nov 27, 2013 - The United States is advising all US airlines to take steps to stay safe amid fresh tensions in the East China Sea as they seek clarification about Beijing's newly-declared air zone over disputed islands.

"We're attempting to determine whether the new rules apply to civil aviation, commercial air flight," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

"In the meantime, US air carriers are being advised to take all steps they consider necessary to operate safely in the East China Sea region."

But she would not be drawn on whether US officials were advising commercial airlines to advise Chinese authorities of any flight plans which take them over the islands.

"We're still looking into and evaluating ... what this means, and obviously, we want to advise accordingly."

China demanded over the weekend that aircraft submit flight plans when traversing its newly-declared air defense identification zone (ADIZ) which includes the disputed islands, known as Senkaku in Tokyo and Diayou in Beijing.

The move has triggered a storm of diplomatic protest and in a show of force two American B-52 bombers overflew the area on Monday.

In a statement, Chinese defense ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said: "The Chinese military monitored the entire process, carried out identification in a timely manner, and ascertained the type of US aircraft."

The Chinese ADIZ requires aircraft to provide their flight plan, declare their nationality and maintain two-way radio communication, or face defensive emergency measures.

Japanese airlines, under pressure from Tokyo, stopped following China's new rules Wednesday, after initially complying.

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's an emerging pattern of behavior by China that is unsettling to China's 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, Beijing's 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 Stratofortress 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.

Japanese airlines, under pressure from Tokyo, stopped following China's new rules Wednesday, after initially complying.

However, according to Jiji Press, they had no problems despite not submitting their flight plans to Chinese authorities in advance.

In Washington, meanwhile, the State Department advised all US airlines to take steps to stay safe amid the fresh tensions.

Chinese officials and state media have accused Japan and the US -- which both have ADIZs -- of double standards, and argue that the real provocateur is Tokyo.

The islands dispute, which has simmered for decades, escalated in September 2012 when Japan purchased three of the uninhabited outcrops from private owners.

Beijing accused Tokyo of changing the status quo and has since sent ships and planes to the area as displays of force, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets 386 times in the year to September.

After an unidentified drone flew towards the islands, Tokyo threatened to shoot down such aircraft, which Beijing warned would amount to an "act of war."

Biden's trip to China next week is part of a wider tour of the region and will also include stops in Tokyo and Seoul.

While in Beijing, he will meet with President Xi Jinping, Vice President Li Yuanchao and Premier Li Keqiang.

"He's going to have a very high-level and a very wide-ranging dialogue with the senior Chinese leadership that covers a wide range of shared interests along with areas of concern, areas of cooperation and areas of deconfliction," the US official added in previewing the visit.

.


Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








SUPERPOWERS
China public backs air defence zone: survey
Beijing (AFP) Nov 26, 2013
The vast majority of Chinese back an air defence zone declared over disputed waters, a survey released Tuesday said, despite the move sharply escalating tensions in the region. Nearly 85 percent of respondents believe the Air Defence Identification Zone over an area that includes islands administered by Japan would "safeguard (China's) airspace security", according to the poll by the state-r ... read more


SUPERPOWERS
Spotlight on China's Moon Rover

We're Going to the Moon!

NASA Spacecraft Begins Collecting Lunar Atmosphere Data

Big Boost for China's Moon Lander

SUPERPOWERS
Curiosity Resumes Science After Analysis of Voltage Issue

Winter Means Less Power for Solar Panels

Unusual greenhouse gases may have raised ancient Martian temperature

How Habitable Is Mars? A New View of the Viking Experiments

SUPERPOWERS
Orion Flight Test Hardware Thrives Under Pressure

International Space Station to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner

NASA Advances Effort to Launch Astronauts Again from US Soil to Space Station

Israeli experts launches space studies course for teachers

SUPERPOWERS
China names moon rover "Yutu"

China launches experimental satellite

China to send 'jade rabbit' to Moon: state media

"Gravity" director wants China to take him into space

SUPERPOWERS
ISS Benefits for Humanity in Plain Sight in New Video Feature

Russians take Olympic torch on historic spacewalk

Russia launches Sochi Olympic torch into space

Spaceflight Joins with NanoRacks to Deploy Satellites from the ISS

SUPERPOWERS
Second rocket launch site depends on satellite size, cost-benefit

Private US launch of satellite delayed

Stepping up Vega launcher production

Czech and XCOR Sign Payload Integrator Agreement for Suborbital Flights

SUPERPOWERS
Search for habitable planets should be more conservative

NASA Kepler Results Usher in a New Era of Astronomy

Astronomers answer key question: How common are habitable planets?

One in five Sun-like stars may have Earth-like planets

SUPERPOWERS
Crippled space telescope given second life, new mission

Scientists create perfect solution to iron out kinks in surfaces

What might recyclable satellites look like?

Overcoming Brittleness: New Insights into Bulk Metallic Glass




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement