Chinese warship "encounters" South Korean Navy

South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted multiple sources on March 3 as saying that theChinese warshipregularly patrol waters within the Republic of Korea Navy's area of ​​operations in the Yellow Sea without prior notice.

Military sources said that Chinese destroyers and frigates have been entering the area of ​​operations (AO) within the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) in the Yellow Sea once or twice a week to conduct “search drills.” The sources did not specify when the “drills” began.

This development raises concerns about the growing presence of the Chinese Navy.

China's Liaoning aircraft carrier - Photo: AFP

The KADIZ was established by the US Pacific Air Command in 1951 to prevent air conflicts between countries around the Korean Peninsula. Although the zone is not part of South Korean airspace, the South Korean military monitors the area and foreign aircraft must seek permission from the South Korean military within 24 hours before entering the zone.

“The Chinese government claims this is part of their normal maritime activities, which clearly means they do not recognize the AO,” Yonhap quoted an unnamed source as saying.

The heavily guarded sea area saw clashes between South Korea and North Korea in the 1990s and early 2000s. Most recently, tensions rose after Pyongyang sank a South Korean warship in March 2010 and shelled the frontline island of Yeonpyeong eight months later, killing 50 South Koreans.

Yonhap quoted another military source as saying the patrols showed China's growing naval presence in waters near the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The source also noted China's aircraft carrier Liaoning, which was recently deployed to the eastern port city of Qingdao.

“Regular patrols in the ROK AO and the enhancement of naval capabilities appear to be related to the deployment ofLiaoning shipto Qingdao,” the source said.

The patrols come amid strained relations between Beijing and Tokyo over territorial disputes, and other Asian countries have expressed concern about China's growing naval power in the region.

China's latest military move has raised concerns because the South Korean Navy lacks the ability to handle long-range missions, as its role is largely limited to defending against North Korea.

South Korea's navy chief, Admiral Choi Yoon-hee, pledged earlier this month to bolster naval forces in response to rising tensions in Northeast Asia.

Mr. Choi said the South Korean Navy will promote the establishment of two more naval task forces in the next two decades to deal with challenges from North Korea and protect the country's territorial safety.

According to Thanhnien-M