China confirms confrontation with Japan over East China Sea

China’s defence ministry confirmed that Chinese and Japanese fighter jets had a confrontation over disputed waters in the East China Sea last month.

Two Chinese jets were reportedly carrying out a routine patrol when two Japanese fighters approached at high speed, Beijing said Monday.

The incident took place in what the Chinese call the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (abbreviated ADIZ), covering most of the East China Sea where the People’s Republic of China announced that it was introducing new air traffic restrictions in November 2013.

According to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, foreign aircraft in the zone will be expected to abide by the following:

• Identification of flight plan. Any aircraft in the zone must report its flight plan to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Civil Aviation Administration.
• Radio identification. Aircraft in the zone must maintain two-way radio communication and respond in a timely and accurate manner to inquiries
• Responder identification. Any aircraft with an Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System transponder must keep it on during the aircraft’s time in the zone
• Sign identification. Any aircraft in the zone must display insignia indicating its nationality and registration clearly, in accordance with international treaties
• Aircraft in the zone should follow instructions. The Chinese military will adopt “emergency defensive measures” in response to aircraft that refuse to follow the instructions.

“Such provocative acts by the Japanese jets could easily cause accidents in the air, harming personal safety on both sides and destroying the peace and stability in the region,” a Chinese statement said. “We demand Japan to cease all provocative acts.”

Yohei Haneo, a spokesman for the Japanese defence ministry, on Tuesday denied the Japanese fighters took any provocative actions during the encounter, saying the jets were scrambling against Chinese aircraft.