MONITORED - REALLY?

Japanese patrol aircraft over Senkaku Islands

Chart showing both Japanese Zones and the new PRC claimed zone which overlap



 

UPDATED FROM SOME LATER REPORTS

 

China claims to have monitored the flight of two USAF B-52 bombers that flew across its newly declared "air-defence identification zone" (ADIZ) its Defence Ministry said.  Well maybe.  It is quite easy to make statements like that after an event which the World Media has announced loud and clear.  South Korea also conducted a flight its Defence Ministry said, in the case of South Korea their claimed territory includes a sunken rock within the PRC defined zone.

As can be seen from the chart above the new PRC zone overlaps with the air zone set out by Japan and covers disputed islands that are controlled by Japan which patrols the area.

It is clear from their comments and the failure of discussions with China that both South Korea and Japan are going to continue with overflights and patrols as before ignoring the PRC ADIZ.  Aside from these two countries the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also have overlapping claims with China and indeed with each other in some cases, in the South China Sea.




PLAN Liaoning



Meanwhile in other news China's aircraft carrier PLAN Liaoning together with her escorting warships set out for a mission in the South China Sea.  It should be interesting in the days ahead just what that mission actually is as there do not appear to be any aircraft on board at departure from its base at Qingdao .

Good Watch