Northeast Asia feels the heat of Russo-China war games

In an extraordinary turn of events that could further escalate tensions in Northeast Asia, on July 23, warplanes of four countries were involved in a face off above one of the most politically sensitive areas in the region. The encounter occurred above the disputed islets of Dokdo, which are controlled by South Korea, but claimed by Japan as Takeshima.

Tokyo and Seoul confirm that two Russian Tu-95 bombers, one Russian A-50 and two Chinese H-6 bombers entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KAIDZ). In an Air Defence Identification Zone, aircrafts are required to identify themselves, but in recent years, most countries in Northeast Asia have accused each other of failing to follow this protocol.

South Korea’s F15 & F16 fighter jets fired 360 warning shots at the Beriev A-50, after it breached the airspace, which is claimed by both Tokyo and Seoul. Japan confirmed it scrambled fighter jets in response to the Russian incursion.

Russia denied reports of warning fire by South Korea and accused the country of dangerously intercepting two of its bombers during a planned flight over "neutral waters". Moscow called the military drill their first long-range joint air patrol with China in the Asia-Pacific region.

Meddling with disputed territories in East Asia isn’t new to China. In 2016, Japan accused Beijing’s naval ship of sailing close to its territorial waters in East China Sea. However, the current incident marks the first time in recent history that a Russian aircraft had violated the South Korean airspace.

More than just being a military drill, the event seems to be a planned violation of the Dokdo airspace to gather intelligence on Japanese and South Korean defense strategies. The Beriev A-50, which was intercepted by the South Korean jets, is an unarmed Russian airborne early warning and control aircraft, designed for tracking and observation. According to experts, the confrontation would have allowed the Russians to draw a map of the country’s air defense system.

Though Asia is rife with territorial disputes, rarely does one see Russia rivaling South Korea in such a conflict. Russia and China's interest in this tiff is amusing.

However, this isn’t the first tense incident for Russia in the region. In June, two vessels from U.S. and Russia came within 50 feet of each other, leading to a standoff in the waters off the coast in China.

Following Seoul’s protest to the incident, Japan criticized both Russia and South Korea for violating the airspace that it claims. Tokyo and Seoul’s ties have already been sour amid the trade war and adispute over the legacy of Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean peninsula before the end of World War II.

China was awaiting an opportunity to flex its muscles in the region and found an ally in Russia. The two countries have been pushed together by their shared tensions with the United States and growing cooperation between the militaries.

The message is loud and clear. Seoul and Tokyo can no longer afford to see the United States as the only military hegemon in the region.  As the Russo-China quasi-alliance grows stronger, one would see more frequent and increasingly assertive joint military actions by the two countries in Northeast Asia.