Chinese warplane monitoring in the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) has drawn renewed attention. On Sunday, China’s Defense Ministry firmly defended its actions after Japan raised concerns over recent aerial encounters.
Specifically, the ministry described the Chinese warplane monitoring of Japanese reconnaissance aircraft as lawful, reasonable, and highly professional. Furthermore, officials emphasized that Japan’s spy aircraft first entered the Chinese ADIZ for close-range surveillance. According to Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force conducted repeated reconnaissance flights. These took place near sensitive Chinese airspace. In response, Chinese jets carried out tracking and identification measures within legal and professional limits.
Jiang said these response measures followed international norms and protected China’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, he criticized Japan’s portrayal of the incidents as misleading and provocative. Japan’s Defense Ministry had claimed that a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flew “unusually close” to a Japanese YS-11 intelligence aircraft on two occasions. The first occurred Wednesday morning, and the second on Thursday. Additionally, Japanese media outlets, including NHK, reported that both events happened over international waters in the East China Sea.
However, Chinese officials pushed back, saying the reports exaggerated the encounters. They argued the Chinese aircraft maintained safe distances and acted with restraint. Chinese warplane monitoring has sparked similar disputes before. For example, in June, Japan also claimed a Chinese carrier-based jet flew close to its aircraft. This occurred while China’s Liaoning and Shandong carriers conducted joint exercises in the Western Pacific.
At that time, China stated Japanese forces approached and interfered with the drills. Jiang said China’s naval activities were routine, not targeting any nation, and fully compliant with international law. Moreover, he emphasized the professionalism of China’s response to what he described as provocation. Military expert Zhang Junshe supported the Chinese account. He accused Japan of crying thief while being the thief, referencing Japan’s own surveillance missions near Chinese territory.
In addition, Zhang added that Japan’s close-in reconnaissance efforts increase the risk of aerial and maritime conflicts. Jiang concluded by urging Japan to act responsibly. He called on Tokyo to reduce provocations and help maintain stability in the region. Ultimately, Chinese warplane monitoring, Beijing asserts, is part of legitimate defense and follows global standards.
