亚洲天空风起云涌 韩国扩大防空识别区

South Korea has expanded its air defence zone, crossing into Japan’s zone for the first time and creating more overlap with China’s new aerial defence area.

韩国扩大了自己的防空识别区，首次与日本的防空识别区部分重叠，并与中国新划设的防空识别区出现更大重叠。

The move comes two weeks after China angered Washington and Tokyo by announcing an “air defence identification zone” that overlapped with corresponding early warning aerial zones established by South Korea and Japan.

两周前，中国宣布划设东海“防空识别区”，与韩国和日本早前设立的防空识别区重叠。该举动引发华盛顿和东京方面的愤怒。

South Korea’s announcement came as Chinese ships entered waters near the ­disputed Senkaku Islands, which China calls the Diaoyu, for the first time since Beijing announced its ADIZ, raising tensions in the East China Sea.

在北京方面宣布划设东海防空识别区之后，中国舰船日前首次驶入有争议的尖阁诸岛(Senkaku)——中国称其为钓鱼岛及其附属岛屿——附近水域，加剧东中国海紧张局势。

While Chinese ships have sailed in the vicinity of the uninhabited islands over the past two weeks, it was the first time they have entered what Japan claims as its territorial waters.

尽管中国舰船过去两周来一直在争议群岛附近航行，但这一次是它们首次驶入日方宣称为领海的水域。

China’s announcement sparked outrage in the South Korean media over the fact Seoul’s longstanding air defence zone did not include a submerged rock, over which both countries claim sovereignty, that fell within Beijing’s newly declared air defence zone.

中国宣布新设的东海防空识别区，包括了中韩两国均宣布拥有主权的一个水下暗礁，这引发韩国媒体对首尔方面一直未将该暗礁划入防空识别区的一片怒火。

Following Seoul’s unilateral move yesterday, the rock, known as Ieodo in Korea and Suyan in China, will be in South Korea’s zone from December 15.

首尔方面昨日单方面采取行动，宣布该争议礁石——韩国称离於岛(Ieodo)，中国称苏岩礁(Suyan)——将从12月15日起被划入自己的防空识别区。

Seoul said it had briefed neighbouring countries and would work with them to ensure airliner safety and to avoid conflict.

首尔方面表示，它已知会各邻国，并将与各邻国共同努力，以确保民航航班的安全，避免冲突。

The Japan foreign ministry said: “We don’t see any immediate problem with the South Korean ADIZ.”

日本外务省表示：“我们不认为韩国的防空识别区有任何直接问题。”