Sen. Marco Rubio<\/p>\n
US Republican Senator Marco Rubio has sharply criticized China\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s declaration of an air defense zone over the East China Sea, calling Beijing a criminal government in case of shooting down an aircraft. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00c5\u201cI don’t think anyone should be reporting to them [Chinese officials],\u201d Rubio said in an interview with The Hill published on Thursday. <\/p>\n \u00c5\u201cIf the Chinese are willing to shoot down a civilian aircraft on an illegitimate claim, then they’re a criminal government. Airlines are free to do whatever they choose, but I don’t think our government should be telling them to do that because it sends confusing messages,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Last month, China established the Air Defense Identification Zone over the East China Sea, saying all military and commercial aircraft should inform the Chinese government before entering the region.<\/p>\n Beijing\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s decision was slammed by Washington and its allies in the region.<\/p>\n The United States said that it does not recognize the zone, adding that the move is \u00c5\u201cprovocative.\u201d<\/p>\n Ignoring China\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s declaration, US, Japanese and South Korean military planes have breached the zone without informing China. <\/p>\n The Chinese government warned that aircraft that do not comply could be subject to a military response.<\/p>\n In a letter to China’s ambassador to Washington earlier this month, four American senators, including Senator Rubio, accused China of \u00c5\u201cdisturbing trend of increasingly hostile\u201d actions in the Pacific.<\/p>\n \u00c5\u201cWe urge your government not to implement this ADIZ as announced, and to refrain from taking similar provocative actions elsewhere in the region,\u201d the senators wrote. \u00c5\u201cThere is nothing for China to gain by undermining regional stability and threatening the peace and prosperity that is the shared objective of all Asia-Pacific nations.\u201d<\/p>\n However, China urged the United States to respect its declaration. <\/p>\n Washington \u00c5\u201cought to take an objective and fair attitude and respect\u201d China\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.<\/p>\n AGB\/AGB<\/p>\n<\/div>\n