Chinese Chutzpah

China wants Japan to stop scrambling fighters when they violate their airspace. [Link]

Perversely, China accused Japan today of escalating tension in the East China Sea by scrambling fighter jets every time Chinese aircraft or ships violate Japan’s territory. Japan announced yesterday that it had sent its own planes to intercept Chinese aircraft a record 306 times in the year ending March 31, double the number of times in the previous year.

“We believe the Japanese side should not be sending out more aircraft but…find a way to appropriately manage and resolve the problem through dialogue, talks and consultations,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said today. A defense paper that China released this week also accused Japan of “making trouble.”