Taiwan expresses 'serious concern' over China's Senkaku Islands ADIZ

TAIPEI - Taiwan's Executive Yuan has expressed "serious concern" over China's demarcation of an air defence identification zone (ADIZ), the Cabinet's first official indication of Taiwan's stance since China claimed the zone on November 23.

"The Executive Yuan believes the move has not contributed to the positive development of cross-strait relations and will express its stance of serious concern to mainland China via channels," it said in a statement. Beijing's announcement of the ADIZ came without consulting Taipei, even though parts of the Chinese ADIZ overlap with Taiwan's own ADIZ, the statement added.

Taiwan's military will not make any changes due to China's ADIZ and will continue carrying out sea and air missions including reconnaissance within Taiwan's own ADIZ "based on its stance of safeguarding national security and public welfare," the Executive Yuan said.

Echoing previous calls from President Ma Ying-jeou for peaceful dialogue over disputed islands, the Cabinet urged rational discourse and multilateral talks as it worried over the implications for regional stability.

Lawmakers said the Ma administration should work with allies, including Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States, to convince China to retract its claim to the zone. They also demanded Taiwan not hand flight plans over to Beijing for Taiwanese aircraft moving through the ADIZ, a concern that statements from aviation authorities have done little to ease (ATI).