By Shannon Tiezzi
China’s restrained reaction to South Korea’s expanded ADIZ further proves that its main concern is Japan.
South Korea announced Sunday that it is expanding its 62 year-old air defense identification zone in a clear reaction to China’s own new ADIZ. The announcement adds over 66,000 sq. km (over 25,000 sq. mi) to Korea’s ADIZ. The expanded zone will cover the submerged rocks that are the subject of a territorial dispute between South Korea and China and will overlap with the ADIZs of both China and Japan (For more background on South Korea’s reaction to China’s ADIZ, see the analysis by my colleagues Ankit Panda and Zachary Keck.)
According to remarks by Jang Hyuk, head of policy for South Korea’s Defense Ministry, the government believes that the move “will not significantly impact our relationships with China and with Japan as we try to work for peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia.” Unlike China, South Korea’s government tried to control the inevitable tensions caused by its move by conferring in advance with neighboring countries, including the U.S., China, and Japan. According to Jang Hyuk, “related countries” are overall “in agreement that this move complies with international regulations and is not an excessive measure.”
China had a decidedly muted reaction to South Korea’s announcement. Partially, this was an inevitable result of China’s own insistence that its ADIZ was in accordance with international precedent and convention — China would have a hard time now arguing that South Korea has no right to expand its own ADIZ. In response to a question about the issue, China Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Hong Lei confirmed that China had been notified in advance by the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Read the full story at The Diplomat