On November 24, 2013 the Chinese military announced the establishment of what it calls a “defensive area” in the East China sea to protect itself from perceived threats in the region.
According to the news brief:
“China has established its first air defense identification zone in accordance with Chinese law and international practices to safeguard its sovereignty, the Ministry of National Defense announced on Saturday. The move allows early-warning time and helps China protect its sovereignty and territories, and guarantee regional air security, officials and analysts said.
An air defense identification zone is a defensive area of airspace established by a coastal state beyond its territorial airspace, explained Wang Ji, a Chinese expert on domestic and international law from an institution affiliated with China’s air force. It is used to identify, monitor, control and react in a timely manner to aircraft entering this zone that are potential air threats, Wang said.
The East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone includes the airspace within the area enclosed by the outer limit of China’s territorial waters and six other points.”
The zone was created to safeguard China’ sovereignty, territory and security while maintaining flight order, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Yang Yujun said. “This is a necessary measure China has taken to exercise its right to self-defense,” Yang said. “It is not directed against any specific country or target. It does not affect the freedom of flights in the airspace.” (source: Ministry of National Defense, People’s Republic of China http://eng.mod.gov.cn/TopNews/2013-11/24/content_4476199.htm).
See related article: US is encircling China with Fighter Jets and Stealth bombers http://thediplomat.com/2013/07/us-is-encircling-china-with-fighter-jets-and-stealth-bombers/
See video: USA encircling China http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7nrzr-SnfE&list=PL028EEA47433C069C&index=1