By NANAE KURASHIGE/ Correspondent
BEIJING–China is laying out plans to define another new air defense identification zone, but this time in the South China Sea, sources said, which could further escalate tensions in the region.
The disclosure is sure to provoke Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, all of whom claim sovereignty over parts or all of the disputed territory, which includes hundreds of islands, cays, shoals and reefs.
The move comes on the heels of China’s announcement in November of its new ADIZ in the East China Sea, which drew angry reactions from Japan, the United States and South Korea.
The area is also believed to have more exploitable natural resources than the East China Sea.
“Gaining the upper hand in the air is a requisite for gaining the upper hand in the sea,” said one military analyst. “An ADIZ is of vital importance for making maritime advances.”
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