Japan and South Korea joint exercises

Japan and South Korea have conducted a joint naval exercise in the area covered by China’s ‘air defence identification zone’, a move seen as sending “a firm message to Beijing.” Under Chinese rules, all aircraft are required to report flight plans in advance. However, the two countries are divided over compliance by commercial flights. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines said they would start to notify the Chinese authorities, while Japan has told its commercial operators not to comply.

Analysts state the Asian neighbours were sending a strong signal to China by choosing to carry out the exercise near Suyan Rock, the tiny, submerged rock which has become the focus of renewed disputes between Beijing and Seoul since the air zone was declared on 23 November 2013.

A South Korean military official stated that two destroyers and two helicopters from each side took part and a Japanese naval spokesman confirmed the drill was conducted within China’s air zone, but added, “The drill had been planned for a long time, since before China’s announcement [of the air defence identification zone]. It was not organised in reaction [to the zone].” The UN maritime law states that a state cannot claim territorial sovereignty over a Maritime region. The Chinese did not immediately respond to this joint exercise.