China says warplanes entered South Korea's defense zone in drill
· UPIJune 28 (Asia Today) -- China said Sunday that more than 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered South Korea's air defense identification zone a day earlier as part of a joint exercise between the two countries.
Beijing also maintained its longstanding position that the patrol was not directed at any third country and was unrelated to current regional tensions.
China's Defense Ministry said the two countries conducted their 11th joint strategic air patrol Saturday over the East Sea, East China Sea and western Pacific.
The patrol demonstrated China and Russia's "resolve and capability to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability," the ministry said. China and Russia have conducted joint strategic air patrols since 2019.
The ministry did not disclose the aircraft's specific routes, models or flight duration. Russia did not immediately issue a separate statement.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said more than 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft successively entered and left the country's air defense identification zone over waters east and south of the Korean Peninsula.
The aircraft did not enter South Korean territorial airspace, military officials said.
"Our military identified the Chinese and Russian aircraft before they entered the zone," the Joint Chiefs said. "We deployed Air Force fighter jets and took tactical measures in preparation for possible contingencies."
An air defense identification zone is not sovereign airspace. It is a designated area in which a country seeks to identify approaching aircraft early to reduce security risks and prevent unintended encounters.
Entry into the zone therefore is not considered a violation of territorial airspace. Countries commonly request advance information about flight routes and entry times from aircraft approaching such zones.
China and Russia have conducted joint air patrols since 2019 as the two countries have expanded their military cooperation.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260628010009555