US advises its commercial flights to comply with China's rules

WASHINGTON: The US has advised its commercial airlines to follow China's demand to notify Beijing on any flight passing through its newly identified Air Defence Identification Zone in East China Sea.

But this new directive in no way means that the US has accepted the legality of the new zone in East China Sea, the State Department said yesterday.

The US has said that such a move by Beijing is provocative and increases tension in the region.

"Freedom of overflight and other internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace are essential to prosperity, stability and security in the Pacific. We remain deeply concerned by China's November 23 declaration of an East China Sea Air Identification Zone," the State Department said in a written statement.

"The US government generally expects that US carriers operating internationally will operate consistent with NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) issued by foreign countries," it said.

"Our expectation of operations by US carriers consistent with NOTAMs does not indicate US government acceptance of China's requirements for operating in the newly declared ADIZ," said the State Department.

Meanwhile, the US continued to send its military plane over the ADIZ defying the Chinese directive in this regard. The US is being followed by its allies South Korea and Japan.

With China sending its fighter jets, the development has created tension in the region, which comes ahead of the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to Beijing.