The China-Russia joint air patrol alarmed South Korea as the two countries jets entered its air defense zone.
Jet planes take part in a fly by practice on the eve of the ninth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai on November 12, 2012. The exhibition takes place from November 13 to 18.
This is not the first time the aerial patrols of Russia and China entered or went near other countries' airspaces.
In May 2022, China and Russia conducted aerial activity. Their military airplanes went near Japan's airspace, as reported by Nikkei Asia.
It happened when Tokyo hosted a Quad summit; leaders from Australia, India, and the United States were even there.
China-Russia Joint Air Patrol Enters SoKor's Air Defense Zone
According to Reuters' latest report, the aerial patrol was conducted by China and Russia on Tuesday, June 6.
Russian Air Force aerobatic teams 'Strizhi' (Swifts) on MiG-29 aircrafts and 'Russian Knights' in Su-27 aircrafts perform during an air show at the MAKS 2021 International Aviation and Space Salon, in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on July 20, 2021. - Russian President got a sneak peek of a next-generation stealth fighter jet dubbed "The Checkmate" ahead of the official unveiling later in the day.
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It is the sixth aerial activity of the two countries since 2019. The defense ministry of China explained that the air patrol was a part of the annual cooperation plan between Russia and China.
Four Chinese military jets and four Russian warplanes entered South Korea's air defense zone east and south of the Korean peninsula. Because of this, South Korea's military prepared its fighter jets in case of worst-case scenarios.
The air defense zones are quite different from airspaces. Unlike airspaces, which cover the air above territorial waters and land territories, the defense zone doesn't have international rules governing it.
US Accuses China of Being Military Aggressive
The recent dangerous encounters between Chinese and US forces made huge headlines. Because of this, the US government now accuses China of being militarily aggressive.
On Monday, June 5, the White House said that these alarming military encounters reflect a growing aggressiveness by the Chinese military.
"Sadly, this is just part of, again, a growing aggressiveness by the PRC (People's Republic of China) that we're dealing with, and we're prepared to address it," said John Kirby, the White House spokesperson.
He added that if the dangerous military encounters continue, there's a high chance that "somebody gets hurt."
The White House spokesperson further stated that it would only take very little action to create military errors, which can endanger both US and Chinese personnel's lives.
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