South Korea says it has extended its air defence zone to partially overlap with a similar zone newly declared by China that has spurred regional tensions.
South Korea's defence ministry said on Sunday that in expanding the zone to include two territorial islands to its south and a submerged rock also claimed by Beijing it has fully explained its position to related countries. It said the move would not infringe on neighbouring countries' sovereignty.
Japan's defence minister, on a visit to the Philippines, called on the international community to oppose China's zone over the East China Sea and any move to establish a similar zone over the disputed South China Sea.
Itsunori Onodera discussed Japan's concern over China's action separately with the Philippines defence secretary, Voltaire Gazmin, and Australia's foreign minister, Julie Bishop.
In his meeting with Bishop, Onodera said he mentioned that the international community "should meet to deal with this matter together" and that any unilateral action by coercive means should be opposed.
"If any country would establish a similar air zone in the South China Sea, that would bring up tension in the region and I mentioned that should be stopped," he told reporters in Tacloban, where he visited a school serving as a shelter for villagers who lost their homes in last month's typhoon.
He said that the issue should be resolved by dialogue.
The United States, Australia, South Korea and other countries have all expressed alarm over China's new air identification zone. Beijing says all aircraft entering the vast area must identify themselves and follow Chinese instructions.
China's ambassador to the Philippines, Ma Keqing, said last week it was Beijing's right to decide "where and when to set up" an air identification zone. She was asked about a possibility that China might set up a similar zone over the South China Sea.
Ma did not say if China would set up such a zone.
Onodera said China's unilateral action violated the spirit of the International Civil Aviation Organization treaty.
South Korea extends its air defence zone to overlap with China's | World news | theguardian.com