Chinese aircraft intrusion

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Opinion

Wed, December 6, 2023 | 01:20

Editorial

Chinese aircraft intrusion

Posted : 2017-12-20 15:17

Updated : 2017-12-20 18:37

Chinese aircraft intrusion

China is going too far in its relations with the Republic of Korea despite President Moon Jae-in's state visit to Beijing last week, as proved by its five military airplanes' intrusion into the air defense identification zones of Korea and Japan, Monday.

The unexpected flight of two Chinese H-6 bombers, two J-11 fighter jets and a TU-154 reconnaissance plane into the zones of the two neighboring countries is certainly a provocative act, though China claimed over a hotline that the flight was part of a routine exercise and it had no intention of infringing on Korea's territorial airspace.

An air defense identification zone is airspace that a country sets to identify and control possibly hostile aircraft, different from territorial airspace. But it is an international practice for a country to notify in advance of its flight over the zones of other countries.

For instance, Japan entered the Korean zone as many as 444 times last year, but always with prior notification. However, China did the same thing without any prior notice again this time as it has done so in the past, prompting Korea and Japan to scramble their fighter jets against China's aircraft for an unnecessary tension in the air.

Deplorable is the Chinese state-run news outlets' reports that the Chinese military airplanes flew in formation over Japan's Tsushima Straits (the very life line connecting Korea and Japan), for the first time.

It is regrettable that China made such a provocation immediately after Moon's summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing, humiliating Korea's ardent move to help restore the uncomfortable relations between the two countries caused by Seoul's deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system and Beijing's retaliatory measures, including the ban of Chinese group tours to Korea.

What Beijing is doing against Seoul of late, highlighted by the flight, will only result in deepening anti-China sentiment among South Koreans, thus further worsening bilateral relations and the security situation in the region amid North Korea's mounting nuclear threats.

For its part, the Moon administration has to review its China policy without further hurting the alliance with the United States and Japan, listening to public voices that it is taking a too submissive attitude toward China.

byb@ktimes.com