Air identification zone 'beneficial to safety'

US Vice-President Joe Biden (L) holds a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, on Dec 3. Biden called China's air zone "an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo" and said that he will raise US concerns when meeting with President Xi Jinping later this week in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

US urged not to send out signals that could fuel Japan's wrongdoing

China's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea promotes "safety instead of danger, cooperation instead of confrontation", officials said in response to opposition from Japan and the United States.

Ministry of National Defense spokesman Geng Yansheng said on Tuesday that Japan needs to reflect on its own actions and correct its mistakes, while other parties should speak and act cautiously in order not to send signals that could fuel Tokyo's wrongdoing.

He made the remark after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that Tokyo and Washington confirmed their cooperation on how to handle the air zone during talks with visiting US Vice-President Joe Biden.

Biden called China's air zone "an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo" and said that he will raise US concerns when meeting with President Xi Jinping later this week in Beijing.

He said the declaration of the zone has raised regional tensions and increased the risk of accidents and miscalculation.

Geng said Tokyo is not qualified to make remarks about China's "reasonable and lawful" establishment of the zone, since it has been stirring trouble in territorial disputes.

Geng said the Chinese military is determined and capable of conducting effective supervision of the zone.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that China is not the one that has aggravated tensions and that China objects that certain countries are seizing and exaggerating the matter for their own interest.

"China has proposed sincere dialogue to discuss aviation security in the overlapping air defense identification zones. We hope Tokyo will make practical efforts to stop friction and contribute to regional stability," Hong said.

Biden arrived in Tokyo late on Monday. His weeklong trip in East Asia will also take him to China and South Korea.

Experts said that the issue may overshadow the US intention of focusing on economic affairs.