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US backing for South Korea and Japan as China, Russia ‘seek to rebalance military might in Asia-Pacific’

  • Joint air patrol tests US commitment to key regional allies Japan and South Korea
  • Pentagon supports Tokyo and Seoul in effort to maintain strength of alliance

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A Russian Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control training aircraft flew into South Korean airspace on Tuesday, according to South Korea’s defence ministry, as part of a joint air patrol with China. Photo: AP

The United States has given its backing to South Korea and Japan in response to airspace incursions by Chinese and Russian warplanes in the Asia-Pacific region this week, in the latest sign of a rebalancing of military influence in the area.

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“The United States strongly supports our [South Korean] and Japanese allies and their responses to airspace incursions by Chinese and Russian aircraft,” Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Dave Eastburn said in response to a query from South Korean news outlet Yonhap.

The incursions came on Tuesday as China and Russia held their first-ever joint long-range air patrol, an exercise conducted over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan – also known as the East Sea.

Observers said the exercise revealed Moscow and Beijing’s ambition to further expand their scope of political influence, at a time when Washington’s military commitment to the region is under question and relations between its key regional allies continue to sour.

Two Chinese H-6 bombers and two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers entered South Korea and Japan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) during the joint patrol while later, during the same exercise, a Russian early-warning A-50 plane entered South Korean airspace, according to South Korea’s defence ministry.

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South Korean jets fired 360 warning shots in response to the Russian A-50 over the Dokdo islets, called Takeshima by Japan, which also claims them. Japan has lodged protests to Seoul and Moscow.

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