29/11/2013
The Philippines expressed concern on Thursday that China may seek control of air space over contested areas of the South China Sea, after Beijing declared an air defence zone above other disputed waters.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said China's announcement of an Air Defence Identification Zone in the East China Sea on the weekend raised the prospect of it doing the same for the South China Sea.
"There's this threat that China will control the air space (in the South China Sea)," del Rosario said in an interview on ABS-CBN television.
Del Rosario also voiced concern over China's declaration of the air defence zone in the East China Sea, where it is embroiled in a territorial dispute with Japan.
"It transforms an entire air zone into China's domestic air space. And that is an infringement, and compromises the safety of civil aviation," del Rosario said.
"It also compromises the national security of affected states."
Read more at Channel NewsAsia
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