China defends approach by military aircraft after Japan complaint

BEIJING, July 13 (KUNA) -- China announced on Sunday that it legally and professionally dispatched fighter jets to monitor Japanese surveillance aircraft repeatedly entering the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, in accordance with Chinese law and national defense procedures.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said that the Japanese aircraft's close-range reconnaissance and harassment posed security risks to both countries' maritime and air safety.
"We urge the Japanese side to work with China to foster an atmosphere conducive to the stable development of bilateral ties," Jiang added.
Japan, in turn, accused Chinese fighter jets of flying "abnormally close" to its surveillance planes, labeling the maneuvers as dangerous and formally protesting the incidents through diplomatic channels.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions between the two nations, following China's expulsion of a Japanese fishing vessel last Wednesday for allegedly entering the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands, known as Japanese Senkaku Islands. (end) slg.ahm