China warns foreign planes entering East China Sea air defense zone

BEIJING: China says it has begun issuing warnings to foreign military planes entering its self-declared air defense zone over the East China Sea that has been blamed for raising tensions in the region.

State media quotes air force spokesman Shen Jinke as saying that multiple types of Chinese planes recently conducted a long-range patrol inside the sweeping zone that was declared in November. Shen said the Chinese planes identified a number of foreign military aircraft, flew alongside them and issued warnings to them. He didn't identify the planes or say when the patrol was conducted.

The US Japan and other countries denounced the zone's declaration as provocative and said they would ignore China's demands that their military aircraft announce flight plans, identify themselves and follow Chinese instructions.