To be clear, though, under international law China has every right to fly in those areas. Just like when we fly/sail 12 miles off Russia, or send ships past the islands China's making in the South China Sea.
When we do it, it's a "freedom of navigation" exercise. Yes, it's testing air defenses, but it frustrates me when officials breathlessly act like it's a big deal.
Yes, with military aircraft. ADIZs have no (international) legal standing; international law says countries control airspace only over their territory, which means the same 12 mile limit ships are subject to. Other countries have every right to fly or sail up to that 12 mile limit.
Again, Taiwan's ADIZ extends over China.
When we fly close to Russia, they send fighters up to escort. We do the same when they fly planes near Alaska.
> The Russian aircraft were in the ADIZ north of Alaska for about 4 hours, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command, which said the planes came as close as 50 nautical miles to the Alaskan coast but did not enter U.S. or Canadian airspace. The ADIZ extends 200 miles from the U.S. and Canadian coasts, but territorial airspace only extends 12 miles from the coast.
> Moreover, the U.S. Navy's Commander's Handbook on the Law of Naval Operations states the ADIZ applies only to commercial aircraft intending to enter U.S. sovereign airspace, with a basis in international law of "the right of a nation to establish reasonable conditions of entry into its territory". The manual specifically instructs U.S. military aircraft to ignore the ADIZ of other states when operating in coastal areas...
International law view Taiwan as province of China. Nevermind the ADIZ / clipping median line drama, PRC can "legally" fly over Taiwan airspace if it wanted to. And vice versa. See ROC Black Cat squadron flying U2s over mainland in the 60s. It would be destabilizing, but legal. Either side can choose to resume Chinese civil war if they wanted to.
When we do it, it's a "freedom of navigation" exercise. Yes, it's testing air defenses, but it frustrates me when officials breathlessly act like it's a big deal.
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