| 7 Jun 2023
South Korea and Japan scrambled fighter jets after China and Russia conducted a joint air patrol over the Sea of Japan. The move was seen as a show of force by the two countries, which have been increasingly assertive in their territorial claims in the region.
The South Korean Air Force said it scrambled four F-15K fighter jets after two Chinese H-6 bombers and two Russian Tu-95 bombers entered its air defense identification zone (ADIZ). The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force also scrambled four F-15s after the Chinese and Russian bombers entered its ADIZ.
The joint air patrol came a day after US President Joe Biden visited South Korea and Japan. During his visit, Biden reaffirmed the US commitment to defending its allies in the face of any threat from China.
The Chinese and Russian governments have not commented on the joint air patrol. However, the move is likely to be seen as a response to the US-South Korea-Japan alliance.
The three countries have been working to strengthen their cooperation in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. In March, the three countries held their first joint naval exercise in the Sea of Japan.
The joint air patrol is the latest sign of rising tensions in the region. In recent years, China has been increasingly assertive in its territorial claims in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The US and its allies have responded by increasing their military presence in the region.
The tensions in the region are likely to continue in the coming months and years. The US and its allies are determined to defend their interests in the region, while China is determined to assert its dominance.
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