Photo: RIA Novosti
Chinese leaders urged the United States to respect the establishment of a new air defence identification zone (ADIZ) with an "objective and fair attitude," the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The call to respect the zone was made during talks with US Vice President Joe Biden, who met President Xi Jinping and Vice President Li Yuanchao on Wednesday, ministry spokesman Hong Lei said. Biden was scheduled to meet Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday after telling Xi that US leaders "don't recognize the zone, that we have deep concerns about it," a US official said. Biden "indicated to Xi that we are looking to China to take steps to lower tensions," including the opening of communication with Japan, the official said. Declared on November 23, the zone covers the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which lie near oil and gas reserves and are claimed by China as the Diaoyu and Taiwan as the Tiaoyutai. Biden held talks in Tokyo on Tuesday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He is scheduled to travel to Seoul later Thursday to meet South Korean leaders, who have also expressed concern about China's move. Voice of Russia, dpa, Source: Article
