South Korean air space violation: Military cooperation with Russia not aimed at any third party, says China

Beijing

A day after Russian and Chinese jets entered South Korean air space, the Chinese foreign ministry said the joint military cooperation wasn't "aimed at any third party".

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"This mission is a project of the annual cooperation plan of the Chinese and Russian armed forces. It is not aimed at any third party," the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Also Read: South Korea scrambles jets as Chinese, Russian aircraft enter airspace

South Korea had said on Tuesday that it scambled jets after Russian and Chinese jets entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ).

According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), four Chinese jets reportedly entered its air space followed by 15 Russian aircraft.

However, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zao Lijian said: "During this operation, the Chinese and Russian military aircrafts strictly abided by relevant provisions of the international law, and did not enter the airspace of other countries."

The South Korean military said the Chinese military had informed about its planes carrying out routine training before it entered the KADIZ. The South Korean Air Force then launched its aircraft to take tactical measures.

China's Defence Ministry had said that H-6K bombers had taken part in the "joint patrol" with two Russian Tu-95 aircraft. 

South Korean agencies said the country's foreign ministry had contacted Russia and China and warned them that a similar incident should not recur in the future.