While North Korea’s ballistic missile tests continued unabated, on November 30, 2022, the Asia-Pacific region faced a new security crisis. On that date, two Chinese H-6 bombers entered the South Korean Air Defense Zone (ADIZ) in the early morning hours. The planes left this area after being in there for a short time. However, the South Korean General Staff (JCS) announced that Chinese bombers later re-entered the region together with Russian TU-95 bombers and SU-35 warplanes.[1]
After that development, South Korea also flew its warplanes, but the Russian and Chinese planes left the region without any hot conflict. As a matter of fact, in the statement made by JCS, it was stated that Russian and Chinese aircraft only carried out a drill flight over ADIZ and did not violate South Korean airspace. At the same time, it has been said that the reason why South Korean warplanes go to the region is that the army aims to be prepared and take precautions against unexpected situations.[2]
In a conjuncture where events such as United States (US) conducting drills in collaboration with the South Korea and Japan due to the security concerns raised by North Korea in the region, which irritates China, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voicing alarm over China’s engagement with Russia occur one after the other, although the tension in question does not cause a hot conflict, it is important in the context of geopolitical security and cooperation. Before examining this situation, it should be mentioned what ADIZ is and why entering ADIZ does not constitute a violation.
ADIZ means Air Defense Zone and is a term that has no definition in international law. At this point, ADIZ differs from the concept of airspace. As a matter of fact, international law rules set rules regarding the airspace of countries, but this is not the case with ADIZ. These regions usually emerge with the unilateral declarations of the countries. These areas are also known as areas used by states to detect and track aircraft within their national security interests.
It should also be noted that Russia does not recognize the region that South Korea declared as its ADIZ. As a matter of fact, China also advocates that all states have the right to move freely in the region.
It is quite remarkable that this event, which raised the tension, took place in the region when the partnership between South Korea, Japan and the USA began to tighten. As a matter of fact, the security concerns created by North Korea in the region are cited as the main reason for this cooperation and the organized drills. However, it is often stated that the policy of containing China lies behind this.
Similarly, China is also uncomfortable with this situation. As a matter of fact, during the meetings between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on 15-16 November in Indonesia’s Bali Island as part of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Xi demanded that Biden reduce his military presence in South Korea; Biden also told Xi that this presence would increase further if North Korea continued long-range nuclear tests. As it can be understood from here, Beijing is uncomfortable with the presence of the USA in the region. At the same time, Xi thinks that the drills organized by the US together with Japan and South Korea, although it is said that they are aimed at North Korea, actually pursue a policy of containment of China. For this reason, it can be said that with the incident in question, China is trying to intimidate both the US military presence in South Korea and the Seoul administration.
In addition, although China and Russia seem to be geopolitical rivals in the long run, they have common goals in competing against the hegemony of the West and the USA in the current global situation. This brings the parties closer to each other in terms of foreign policy production. The participation of Russian planes with Chinese planes in such a move that will escalate the tension in the Asia-Pacific region can be interpreted in two ways.
The first of these is that Russia, which was far from achieving the desired results on the field in the Ukraine War, nevertheless has a military presence in the east. The situation in question shows that Russia is actually trying to send a message to the West that Moscow is not in a negative situation in Ukraine and that it has the energy to spare in case of a possible hot conflict on the eastern front.
The second issue is that Charles Michel, President of the European Union (EU) Council, paid a visit to China and called on Xi to use his influence over Russia and his position in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to end the Ukraine War.[3] However, the important point here is that Michel made human rights-based criticisms in that meeting. As a matter of fact, China sees this issue as an intervention in its internal affairs. Beijing may have wanted to send a message to the West, which it thought was meddling in its internal affairs, by appearing in ADIZ with Russian war and bomber aircraft after a meeting in which it was invited to use its influence over Moscow.
In addition to all these, the closeness of China and Russia has been on the agenda recently. At the NATO Foreign Ministers Summit held in Bucharest on 29 November 2022, it was also discussed that China could be an important actor in stopping the Ukraine War; however, the close ties between Beijing and Moscow were also emphasized.[4] After Chinese and Russian planes entered South Korea’s ADIZ, US Secretary of State Blinken stated that the US and NATO were uncomfortable with the ties between China and Russia.[5] As a matter of fact, one day before that situation, Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng emphasized the deepening energy cooperation between the actors at the 4th China-Russia Energy Business Forum.[6] All these points reveal that a strong message of unity against the West is wanted to be given.
In conclusion, although there are developments in the Asia-Pacific region that increase the security concerns at the highest level, the current situation can be interpreted in various ways when the global and regional conjuncture is considered. As a matter of fact, for many reasons mentioned above, China and Russia want to give a message to both the West and the Western-based alliances established in the region. It can be argued that as the drills held in the region in partnership with the USA, South Korea and Japan continue, China will maintain its discomfort and North Korea will continue its actions accordingly.
[1] “South Korea Scrambles Jets After Chinese, Russian Warplanes Approach”, Reuters, https://www.voanews.com/a/south-korea-scrambles-jets-after-chinese-russian-warplanes-approach/6856117.html, (Date of Accession: 01.12.2022).
[2] İbid.
[3] “EU Chief Charles Michel Heads To China Amid Covid Protests Crackdown”, France 24, https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20221129-eu-s-chief-charles-michel-heads-to-china-amid-protest-crackdown, (Date of Accession: 01.12.2022).
[4] “NATO Allies Warn on China With Eye on Beijing’s Ties to Putin”, Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-30/nato-allies-warn-on-china-with-eye-on-beijing-s-ties-to-putin, (Date of Accession: 01.12.2022).
[5] “NATO Concerned by China’s ‘Rapid and Opaque’ Military Buildup, Says Blinken”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/01/nato-concerned-by-chinas-rapid-and-opaque-military-buildup-says-blinken, (Date of Accession: 01.12.2022).
[6] “China-Russia Eenrgy Cooperation”, English News, https://english.news.cn/20221129/97727239a72445158a55bbc09e71afe8/c.html, (Date of Accession. 01.12.2022).
