US backing for South Korea and Japan as China, Russia ‘seek to rebalance military might in Asia-Pacific’
- Joint air patrol tests US commitment to key regional allies Japan and South Korea
- Pentagon supports Tokyo and Seoul in effort to maintain strength of alliance
The United States has given its backing to South Korea and Japan in response to airspace incursions by Chinese and Russian warplanes in the Asia-Pacific region this week, in the latest sign of a rebalancing of military influence in the area.
“The United States strongly supports our [South Korean] and Japanese allies and their responses to airspace incursions by Chinese and Russian aircraft,” Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Dave Eastburn said in response to a query from South Korean news outlet Yonhap.
The incursions came on Tuesday as China and Russia held their first-ever joint long-range air patrol, an exercise conducted over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan – also known as the East Sea.
Observers said the exercise revealed Moscow and Beijing’s ambition to further expand their scope of political influence, at a time when Washington’s military commitment to the region is under question and relations between its key regional allies continue to sour.
Two Chinese H-6 bombers and two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers entered South Korea and Japan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) during the joint patrol while later, during the same exercise, a Russian early-warning A-50 plane entered South Korean airspace, according to South Korea’s defence ministry.
South Korean jets fired 360 warning shots in response to the Russian A-50 over the Dokdo islets, called Takeshima by Japan, which also claims them. Japan has lodged protests to Seoul and Moscow.