'Monitored' defiant US B-52 bombers over new air zone: China

Under the rules of the new air zone, all aircraft including the civilian flights have to report their flight plans to China and must maintain the two-way radio communications and respond in a timely and accurate manner to the identification inquires.

Earlier, US officials said two B-52 bombers flew to the identification zone on night.

US Colonel Steve Warren at the Pentagon said Washington had “conducted operations in the area of the Senkakus”.  

“We have continued to follow our normal procedures, which include not filing flight plans, not radioing ahead and not registering our frequencies,” Warren said.  

There had been no response from China, he said.  

Japan, the US and several other countries rejected the zone after it was announced over the weekend.  

The US State Department yesterday said China's action appeared to be an attempt to “unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea”.