China Indicates That It May Set Up An Air Defense Zone In The South China Sea

New York Times: China Says It Could Set Up Air Defense Zone in South China Sea

BEIJING — A Chinese admiral said on Sunday that Beijing could set up an air defense zone above disputed areas of the South China Sea if it felt it was facing a large enough threat, according to Chinese news media.

Adm. Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army, told a regional security forum in Singapore that China had not said it would create a so-called air defense identification zone, but that any decision would be based on an aerial threat assessment and the general security situation. He also said other nations should not overemphasize the issue.

The creation of an air defense zone would be viewed by the United States and Southeast Asian nations as a huge provocation. In recent years, foreign officials have speculated whether one of Beijing’s next moves in the South China Sea would be to set up such a zone, whose existence would further solidify China’s military presence in the waters.

Update: China, U.S. tone down rhetoric but far from South China Sea solution -- Reuters

WNU Editor: Setting up an air defense zone is the South China Sea is going to raise red flags throughout the Asian continent. What also does not help the situation is that many are now starting to question U.S. commitment to settling this dispute .... Ash Carter Talks Tough on China, But It's Just Talk (Josh Rogin, Bloomberg).