China, Russia end joint air patrol over Pacific Ocean

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - China and Russia on Wednesday concluded a joint air patrol over the western part of the Pacific Ocean, Beijing said.

According to a brief statement by China's Defense Ministry, the Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Russian Aerospace Forces "successfully concluded" the second phase of their collaborative aerial patrolling mission over the Pacific Ocean.

"The Chinese and Russian militaries completed the second stage of the sixth joint strategic patrol in the airspace over the western part of the Pacific Ocean," the statement added.

The patrol, which is part of an annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, was the sixth joint air strategic patrol conducted by the militaries, according to China.

The joint patrol triggered responses from South Korea and Japan.

South Korea said on Tuesday that Chinese and Russian military planes had entered its air defense identification zone "without notice."

Seoul soon mobilized its air forces and flew jets around its airspace.

Japan also said four Chinese and Russian bombers "made a joint flight above waters near Japan," on Tuesday, triggering a response from Air Self-Defense Force which scrambled its fighter jets.