Japanese defense minister arriving next week

MANILA, Philippines - Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is set to visit the Philippines next week.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said yesterday he is meeting with Onodera but the agenda has not been set.

“He will visit his troops who are involved in the rehabilitation (of typhoon-hit areas),” he said. “I think he has one thousand volunteers consisting of soldiers and medical people.”

Gazmin said he might discuss with Onodera China’s air defense zone.

“It depends. It’s a free flowing (discussion). There is no fixed agenda,” Gazmin said.

The meeting is tentatively slated for the next weekend, Department of National Defense spokesman Peter Galvez said.

Onodera last visited the Philippines in June.

Gazmin said China’s imposition of an air defense zone must be in line with rules governing international flights.

“China should not have done that because it is becoming dangerous,” he said in Filipino. “It may lead to untoward incidents.”

Gazmin said a spillover of the air defense zone in the West Philippine Sea would trigger more negative reactions.

“You have seen the reaction of different countries to what they did in Eastern China Sea,” he said. “It has been tension and reaction. (There were) strong reactions. These are being felt by China. Common sense will tell you that you should not commit the same mistake.“  

Gazmin sees no problem with the deployment of a Chinese aircraft carrier to the West Philippine Sea as long as it does not intrude into the country’s territory.

“As long as it does not get into territorial waters, we do not have any problem because there is safe passage in the high seas,” he said.

Gazmin said China, as a member of the civilized community, must recognize the Philippines’ territorial waters.

“We are closely monitoring and closely coordinating with our allies,” he said.

China’s air defense identification zone is located above international waters separating China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

The zone covers an area spanning about 1,000 kilometers from north to south, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The Chinese government said all aircraft are required to report their flight plans and to identify themselves while flying through the zone.

Japan and South Korea have defied the air defense zone and sent military aircraft over the East China Sea without reporting to China.

EU worried

The European Union is worried over China’s East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone and the emergency defense measures it plans to take in case of non-compliance.

High Representative Catherine Ashton said the EU is following these developments closely with its significant interests in the region.

“The EU is concerned to learn of China’s decision to establish an East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, as well as the accompanying announcement by the Chinese Ministry of Defense of emergency defense measures in case of non-compliance,” she said. “This development heightens the risk of escalation and contributes to raising tensions in the region.”

The EU called on all sides to exercise caution and restraint.

Ashton said the legitimate use of sea and airspace is a right enshrined in international law.

“Actions that bring or appear to bring these rights into question are not conducive to finding lasting solutions to the differences that exist in East Asia’s maritime areas,” she said. – Alexis Romero, Pia Lee-Brago