In fact, immediately after it declared an ADIZ in the East China Sea (ECS), Chinese Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated, “China will establish other air defence identification zones at an appropriate time after completing preparations.”Īlready KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft have been deployed and KQ-200 anti-submarine patrol planes at Fiery Cross Reefs.įighter jets may soon be deployed in the region as air conditioning facilities have been set up for maintenance of the fighter jets that could add to ADIZ patrolling.Īir strips and radar facilities are already being constructed in China’s artificial islands in the SCS and floating nuclear reactors may also aid in desalination of aircraft through nuclear energy- as Chinese military aircraft can be susceptible to sea-water corrosion.Ĭhina has also progressed with building ports in the region.Ĭhina has also built lighthouses, radar domes, hangars and multi-storey buildings on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief while helipads, wind turbines and observation and communication towers are built on Burgos, Calderon, McKennan and Johnson South islands. China planned such ADIZ in ECS region in 2010 just like it did for SCS in 2010 and in 2013 also implemented the ADIZ in ECS region.

There is already a proposed ADIZ in SCS by China that encompasses Pratas, Paracel and Spratly island chains in the disputed maritime regions in SCS. In 2019, China already conducted anti-ship missile tests and was working on floating nuclear reactors to be deployed in SCS region.Īmid these military developments, there is a possibility that China may declare ADIZ in the SCS region just like it has done in the ECS region. In early April 2020, a Chinese government research ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 was spotted conducting a survey close to an exploration vessel operated by Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas. In June 2020, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry confirmed that China was planning to set up ADIZ in SCS region.

One of the limitations of an ADIZ for the South China Sea is that this ADIZ does not fall under any treaty and not regulated under any international body making the ADIZ issue even more complex for global security. An Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is air space over a land mass or water body where identification, location and control of civil aircraft is undertaken by a state declaring ADIZ over the region for its security purpose.

Air identification defense zone