Territorial disputes spread to the air

Regional territorial disputes at sea appear to be escalating into the aerial domain after China on Saturday declared its air defense zone, which overlaps with those of South Korea and Japan.

Beijing’s Air Defense Identification Zone covers contentious areas in the East China Sea such as Senkaku/Diaoyu islands currently under Japan’s control and Ieodo, a submerged rock in the overlapping exclusive economic zones of South Korea and China.

Not bound by international law, the zone is set up outside a country’s territorial airspace to discern between civilian and military aircraft for purposes of national security. Any foreign aircraft can enter the zone with prior notification or face interception.

Analysts say that Beijing’s declaration of the air zone indicates its unilateral disposition on territorial issues, and that Seoul should present its strong opposition to any move pushed for without consultations based on mutual respect.

They also expressed concerns that a rising China could undermine regional stability and seek to revise the long-standing regional order based on its increasing military and economic might.

“The rising China appears to be asserting its territorial claims in a unilateral fashion without coordination, consultations or negotiations. This is a source of great concern for its neighboring states including South Korea, Japan and the Philippines,” said Kim Ho-sup, international politics professor at Chung-Ang University.

Kim added that U.S. policy toward the Asia-Pacific may be focused on preventing an ascendant China from disrupting the international norms and order that the U.S. has fostered since the end of World War II.

On Monday, Yoo Jeh-seung, Seoul’s deputy defense minister for policy, called in Brigadier Gen. Xu Jingming, an attache at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, and expressed regrets over the air zone.

Noting that China’s “unilateral” air zone overlaps with some areas southwest of South Korea’s Jejudo Island and also includes Ieodo, Yoo said Seoul cannot recognize Beijing’s zone and would continue to maintain Seoul’s jurisdictional right to waters around Ieodo.

Yoo also said that Beijing’s decision should not be a factor that would escalate regional tensions, and that Seoul would strengthen its efforts to promote mutual trust among regional countries.

He also suggested discussing the issue at the bilateral strategic defense dialogue, a vice defense minister-level meeting to be held on Thursday in Seoul. Separately, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry called in a Japanese diplomat to deliver Seoul’s apprehension and stance that the Chinese air zone cannot be recognized.

As to a jurisdictional dispute over Ieodo, concerns have emerged that Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone does not include the rock when the zones of China and Japan include it.

Korea’s ADIZ was set up in March 1951 by the U.S. Air Force to block China’s communist forces during the Korean War. Observers say Korea should show a firm position over the protection of its own jurisdictional right to Ieodo.

As China’s declaration of the zone came amid the escalating territorial dispute with Japan, concerns over a possible armed clash between the two Asian powers have been raised.

“The zone involves deployment of fighter jets if necessary, and this raises the possibility of an unexpected clash between Japan and China, which is a very worrisome development for the region,” said Park Won-gon, a security expert at Handong Global University.

“When tension rises in a military sense, there could also be some miscalculations that could spark a limited, low-intensity confrontation.”

In addition to tensions stemming from China’s increasing assertiveness over maritime sovereignty, Japan has also stirred controversy over its pursuit of collective self-defense and heavier armament.

Analysts say Japan’s push for a full-fledged military could trigger an arms race and destabilize the security landscape, particularly when Korea and China are concerned about Tokyo’s lack of atonement and will to sincerely make reparations for its wartime misdeeds.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)