WASHINGTON: The United States has refused to recognize China air defense zone over the East China Sea, saying the move is “provocative.”
“We, the United States, do not recognize and we do not accept it, and will not change the way the United States conducts military operations in the region,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
China declared the air defense identification zone over the East China Sea last month and said that all military and commercial aircraft should inform the Chinese government before entering the region.
The move triggered harsh criticism from the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan and South Korea.
“We call on China not to implement it… I think that’s pretty clear about what our policy is. We do not recognize it,” Carney said.
US Vice President Joe Biden during his two-day visit to Beijing told a gathering of US executives in Beijing on Thursday that China’s new air defense identification zone over the East China Sea caused significant unease in the region. He said that the US had an enormous interest in what happens in the region.
However‚ the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Biden had been told by the Chinese leaders that the United States should respect the zone as it is in accordance with the international law.
