China launched two fighter planes Friday to investigate flights by a dozen U.S. and Japanese reconnaissance and military planes in its new maritime air defense zone over the East China Sea, AP Cited state media as saying. It was the first time since proclaiming the zone on Nov. 23 that China said it sent planes there on the same day as foreign military flights, although it said it merely identified the foreign planes and took no further action. China announced last week that all aircraft entering the zone - a maritime area between China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan - must notify Chinese authorities beforehand and that it would take unspecified defensive measures against those that don't comply. Neighboring countries and the U.S. have said they will not honor the new zone - believed aimed at claiming disputed territory - and have said it unnecessarily raises tensions. The state-run China News quoted Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Shen Jinke as saying the Chinese fighter jets identified and monitored the two U.S. reconnaissance aircraft and a mix of 10 Japanese early warning, reconnaissance and fighter planes during their flights through the zone early Friday. "China's air force has faithfully carried out its mission and tasks, with China's navy, since it was tasked with patrolling the East China Sea air defense identification zone. It monitored throughout the entire flights, made timely identification and ascertained the types," Shen was quoted as saying. In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman, Army Col. Steve Warren, said when asked about China's statement that its planes had identified and monitored U.S. aircraft in the zone, "The U.S. will continue to partner with our allies and will operate in the area as normal." Japanese officials declined to confirm details of any flights, but said routine missions in the area were continuing. "We are simply conducting our ordinary warning and surveillance activity like before. We have not encountered any abnormal instances so far, therefore we have not made any announcement," Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters in Tokyo. The United States and other countries have warned that the new zone could boost chances for miscalculations, accidents and conflicts, though analysts believe Beijing's move is not intended to spark any aerial confrontations but rather is a long-term strategy to solidify claims to disputed territory by simply marking the area as its own. -- SPA 19:30 LOCAL TIME 16:30 GMT تغريد
