• Commentary  By Andrew Erickson  Effective 10 a.m. on Nov. 23,
Beijing declared an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)
covering a significant portion of the East China Sea. The
Chinese air force soon conducted its first patrol in the zone,
with two large reconnaissance aircraft monitoring the area,
early warning aircraft supporting and fighters providing cover.
In its official statement announcing the establishment of the
ADIZ, China’s Ministry of National Defense stated that it would
require flight plan, transponder, radio and logo identification
for all aircraft operating in the zone. The official Xinhua news
agency elaborates: “The new rules state that all aircraft flying
in the zone should report their flight plans to China’s Foreign
Ministry and the Civil Aviation Administration. If an aircraft
doesn’t supply its flight plan, China’s armed forces will adopt
emergency defensive measures in response. The announcement
states that China’s Ministry of National Defense has full
administrative rights over