Beijing officials urge Tokyo to open up dialogue to forge bilateral agreement

Negotiations should take place between Beijing and Tokyo to forge a mechanism to manage the crisis over the overlapping air defense identification zones in the East China Sea, given that China's move to establish its zone is irrevocable, experts said.

The comments resonated with a senior Chinese diplomat, who on Wednesday called for a bilateral agreement to prevent a military aircraft accident while also justifying the legitimacy of China's move.

Tang Jiaxuan, head of the China-Japan Friendship Association, said that as many as 20 other countries already have such zones during a meeting in Beijing with former and current Japanese lawmakers, Japan's Kyodo News Agency said.

Referring to the ongoing negotiations of the two nations on a mechanism for maritime safety, Tang said that "it is also necessary to have crisis management for air. We should also have talks on air".

Japanese delegates included former foreign minister Koichiro Gemba and Taku Yamasaki, former vice-president of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party.

Chinese observers said that Tokyo, instead of using double standards and protesting in vain, should face facts and make maintaining regional stability its priority.

Zhang Junshe, an expert with the Chinese navy, said it would help to mitigate any risk of miscalculation if the two sides could sit down and discuss air safety.

"It depends on whether Tokyo will act cooperatively or if it remains confrontational now that China's designation of the zone is firm and final."

Managing differences