Rising Tensions on the Korean Peninsula
Amid rising tensions in Northeast Asia due to North Korea's 'satellite launch' attempt, China and Russia conducted a 'show of force' over the airspace of the East Sea and the East China Sea.
On the 6th, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced through its official WeChat channel, "Based on the annual cooperation plan between the two countries' militaries, China and Russia conducted the 6th joint aerial strategic patrol over the relevant airspace of the East Sea and the East China Sea on the 6th."
It is unknown whether Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).
In the past, China and Russia have frequently sent military aircraft into KADIZ under the pretext of joint patrols or combined exercises. Most recently, Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered and then left KADIZ in May and November of last year.
This incident appears to reaffirm the confrontation structure between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, which are strengthening security cooperation amid North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations, and North Korea, China, and Russia, which are opposing them.
On the 31st of last month, North Korea launched a projectile named 'Chollima-1' from the Dongchang-ri launch site but officially acknowledged the launch failure after about 2 hours and 30 minutes, stating that "a second launch will be carried out as soon as possible."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
