China slams 'slanderous' air zone remarks by Japanese PM

Reaction came hours after Abe said he was "deeply concerned" by China's establishment of the air zone

China today rejected as "malicious slander" Japanese premier Shinzo Abe's fresh demand to rescind Beijing's establishment of an unilateral air defence zone over the East China Sea, upping the ante in a territorial dispute that has raised regional tensions.

China's strong reaction came hours after Abe said at a Japan-ASEAN summit in Tokyo yesterday that he was "deeply concerned" by China's establishment of the air zone.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei in a statement expressed China's strong anger over Abe for his "malicious slander" against China in international arena on the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

The state-run Xinhua news agency noted that Abe had criticised China for its "unilateral action" to change the situation in the East China Sea and said that China's ADIZ is unjust violation against the freedom of aviation over the high seas as well as demanded China rescind relevant measures.

Hong reiterated China's stance on the Diaoyu Islands and slammed Japan's unilateral actions to provoke disputes since last year.

China's necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty is in accordance with law and irreproachable, Hong said.

"As a defensive measure to safeguard national air security, the establishment of the East China Sea ADIZ is in line with international law and practice," Hong said, stressing that it does not affect the freedom of aviation of the aircraft which is in accordance with international law.

"The Japanese deliberate vilification over China on the ADIZ is doomed to failure," the spokesman added.

The Japan-ASEAN summit held yesterday in Tokyo was the first major gathering of Asian leaders since China's move to assert its sovereignty over the skies near its southeast coast in the East China Sea.

Hong's statement came soon after reports emerged that a Chinese naval vessel nearly collided with a US warship in the South China Sea on December 5.

The USS Cowpens, a guided missile cruiser, was forced to take steps to avoid a collision with the Chinese ship that had crossed directly in front of it and halted, media reports said.