Ambassador Kennedy Chides China's Move to Create Air Zone - East Idaho News
World News

Ambassador Kennedy Chides China’s Move to Create Air Zone

  Published at

GETTY 112713 CarolineKennedy?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1385553254313Koji Sasahara/Bloomberg via Getty Images(BEIJING) — The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has weighed in on escalating tensions between China and Japan over the East China Sea.

On Wednesday, Caroline Kennedy criticized China’s recent move to create its own Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which requires that all aircraft notify Chinese authorities before entering the airspace.

“Unilateral actions like those taken by China with their announcement of an East China Sea Air-to-Sea Identification Zone undermines security and constitutes an attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea.  This only serves to increase tension in the region,” the ambassador said.

The new ADIZ includes disputed islands claimed by both China and Japan.  On Tuesday, the U.S. flew two unarmed B-52 bombers there — a move some say was a show of force in support of Japan.

Ahead of Ambassador Kennedy’s comments, China Daily, a state-run newspaper, chided Washington for “barking up the wrong tree,” and defended its right to monitor the space.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION