The United States does not recognise the recently declared air defence identification zone (ADIZ) by China in the East China Sea, the White House said today adding that such a Chinese move is provocative and dangerous in such a sensitive region.
The strong White House statement came even as Vice President Joe Biden concluded his trip to China, indicating that the latter's effort to convince the Chinese leadership on this issue did not yield much result.
As such, the United States would continue to defy the Chinese move and fly its military planes in ADIZ as usual, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.
"We, the United States, do not recognise it, and we do not accept it, and it will not change how the US conducts military operations in the region," Carney said in response to a question.
It does not have any practical effect on US government operations, he added.
"To underscore, China's announcement was a provocative unilateral action that raises tensions in one of the world's most geopolitically sensitive areas, including territory administered by another state. It clearly increases the risk of a dangerous miscalculation or accident that could escalate quickly and dangerously," the White House official said.
"Vice President Biden, who was just in China, was candid and direct with President Xi yesterday on these points: One, the zone should not be implemented. Two, more broadly, China should refrain from taking similar actions elsewhere in the region," he said.
"And, three, China should work with other countries, including Japan and South Korea, to establish confidence-building measures, including emergency communications channels, to address the dangers its recent announcement has created and to immediately lower tensions," Carney said.
"Our message to China is that this type of provocative behaviour is not consistent with the actions of a major power that upholds international norms and promotes peace and stability," he said.
