A Su-30 fighter and an H-6K bomber of the Chinese Air Force take part in the drill in the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) [Xinhua]
The Ministry of Defense in Tokyo said early Monday that had hours earlier dispatched fighter jets into its airspace following a fleet of Chinese aircraft flying near Japan’s Miyako Strait.
A Japanese government official said that the Chinese aircraft did not enter his country’s territorial waters but remarked this was the first time Beijing had sent its jets through the Strait.
Earlier, Chinese media quoting government officials said that over 40 Chinese H-6K bombers, Su-30 fighter jets and air tankers flew through Japan’s Miyako Strait, located near the long-disputed islands in the East China Sea, late on on Sunday while heading to routine large-scale military drills in the Western Pacific.
Bombers and fighters of the People’s Liberation Air Force also conducted routine patrol in the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), a military spokesperson told the Chinese Xinhua news agency.
Japan does not recognize the ADIZ because it says the zone covers an area including disputed islands.
Japanese officials said they had tracked only eight Chinese aircraft in the Miyako Strait. Tokyo said on Monday: “We will continue to keep close eyes on the Chinese military activities which have been expanding and become more frequent,” he said.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
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