STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The Chinese military says it identified the U.S. military aircraft
- U.S. official: B-52s didn't tell Beijing about flights over China's new air defense zone
- Washington and Tokyo have criticized Beijing's declaration of the new zone
- They say it increases tensions and raises risks of an incident
"The Chinese military conducted monitoring during the entire course and identified the type of U.S. aircraft," said Col. Geng Yansheng, a spokesman for the ministry.
The U.S. Air Force B-52 planes, which were on a training mission, set off Monday from Guam and returned there without incident after spending about an hour in China's claimed air defense identification zone in the East China Sea, according to a U.S. official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.
U.S. defies China with B-52 flight
The flights came two days after China unilaterally announced the creation of the air zone over a large area of the sea including several islands over which Beijing and Tokyo both claim sovereignty. The two Asian countries have been sharply at odds over those small, remote isles, which are believed to be near large reserves of natural resources.
The United States and Japan have criticized the Chinese air zone declaration, saying it escalates tensions in the region and raises the risk of an incident.
China has hit back at both countries, calling the U.S. comments "completely unreasonable" and the Japanese remarks "utterly groundless."
The United States has said it won't recognize the new zone or China's request that aircraft entering it identify themselves and file flight plans. The flights of the B-52s on Monday demonstrated that stance.
The Chinese defense ministry's statement Wednesday appeared cautious, omitting any criticism of the U.S. action.
"China has the capabilities to conduct effective control over relevant airspace," Geng said in comments posted on the ministry's website.
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