Six times China chased away US aircraft approaching illegal artificial islands in the East Sea
China issued a warning to chase away US aircraft over the East Sea on August 10.
`Despite always opposing the presence of foreign navies in waters near China, the country’s navy has recently conducted similar military activities in the exclusive economic zones of other countries,`Â Business Insider
The US Department of Defense emphasized that this `two-faced` behavior shows that China continues to lack commitment to comply with international practices.
China often opposes US military activities in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an area 200 nautical miles from the baseline, and calls this action `close-range reconnaissance`.
In addition to protesting foreign military activities in the EEZ area, China also threatens US and Philippine warships and aircraft approaching the artificial islands it illegally built in the East Sea, despite its sovereignty claim.
While trying to intimidate foreign warships operating near its controlled areas, the Chinese navy since 2014 has increased `unwelcome` activities throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
In 2017, a Chinese spy ship entered Australia’s EEZ to monitor the country’s naval exercises with the US.
Earlier this year, Beijing also deployed a spy ship to monitor the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises off the coast of Hawaii, after the US withdrew its invitation to China to protest the military activity.
Chinese submarines reviewed their formation near Son Dong province, in the east of the country in 2009. Photo: SCMP.
The US and its allies do not object to the presence of Chinese warships in their EEZ, considering this an action allowed under international law.
The US continuously conducts freedom of navigation patrols around the artificial islands China illegally built in the East Sea, demonstrating its refusal to recognize Beijing’s claim to violate international law.
`Only one country opposes freedom of navigation operations and shows anger at them. The United States will continue to confront what we believe is outside international law,` US Secretary of Defense
At an event in the Philippines on August 16, US Assistant Secretary of Defense in charge of Asia-Pacific security issues Randall Schriver also announced that the US would `not allow China to rewrite maritime rules or
