World Gossip News

As tensions mount over China’s declaration of a new air defense zone, the United States Navy has deployed next-generation surveillance aircraft to Japan. Outfitted with advanced radar, anti-ship missiles, and mines, the P-8A are intended to boost American ability to monitor submarines and other ocean-going vessels in the region. Tensions in the region currently revolve around tiny islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Daioyu in China. The U.S. does not take a stand on the sovereignty of the islands, but it does recognize Japan’s administrative control over the territory and has declared the mutual defense treaty between the two counties applies towards the islands as well.

Although the U.S. continues to fly military aircraft over the ADIZ without notifying China, it has advised commercial airlines to comply with China’s request for safety reasons. This move has sparked some anger in Japan, where Biden spoke of the need for the two countries to cooperate in order to reduce regional conflict.