A bipartisan group of influential Senators have asked China not to implement its unilaterally- declared air defence zone over disputed islands in the East China Sea and described the move as provocative and destabilising behaviour.
"The declaration of this Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) is provocative both because it extends over East China Sea territories recognised by the US as under the administrative control of Japan and overlaps with both the Japanese and Republic of Korea's ADIZs," the Senators said in a letter to Cui Tiankai, China's Ambassador to the US.
"The procedures for enforcement of the ADIZ, as announced, are potentially dangerous and undermine regional peace and stability," the Senators said.
The bipartisan letter was signed by Senators Marco Rubio, Robert Menendez, Bob Corker and Ben Cardin.
Stressing that China's declaration of an ADIZ over areas of the East China Sea does not alter the US acknowledgement of Japan's administrative control over the Senkaku Islands or affect US security commitments to Japan, Korea, and other allies in the Asia-Pacific, the letter urged China not to implement this ADIZ as announced, and to refrain from taking similar provocative actions elsewhere in the region.
"There is nothing for China to gain by undermining regional stability and threatening the peace and prosperity that is the shared objective of all Asia-Pacific nations," the letter said.
"We also strongly encourage your government to engage in diplomatic dialogue to address any territorial, sovereignty or jurisdictional issues in the South and East China Seas," it said.
In their letter to the Chinese ambassador, the senators condemned the move for violating the sovereignty of territories claimed by Japan and South Korea, while also threatening to destabilise the entire region.
"We are deeply concerned about your government's recent unilateral announcement of the establishment of an ADIZ," the Senators wrote.
"We view this unilateral action as an ill-conceived attempt to alter the status quo, increasing the possibility of misunderstanding or miscalculation.
"Moreover, this declaration reinforces the perception that China prefers coercion over rule of law mechanisms to address territorial, sovereignty or jurisdictional issues in the Asia-Pacific," the letter said.
