China's announcement last weekend that it was extending an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over islands disputed by China and Japan was disregarded by several nations, and US B-52 bombers entered the area.
"We have flights routinely transiting international airspace throughout the Pacific, including the area China is including in their ADIZ," said Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren.
"These flights are consistent with long-standing and well-known US freedom of navigation policies that are applied in many areas of operation around the world. I can confirm that the US has and will continue to operate in the area as normal."
The United States, South Korea, Japan and other countries have accused Beijing of increasing regional tensions with the air defense zone.
But the scrambling of "several combat aircraft" by China, including at least two fighter jets -- according to state news agency Xinhua -- threatens to escalate the situation.
"Several combat aircraft were scrambled to verify the identities" of US and Japanese aircraft entering the air defense zone, Xinhua said, quoting air force spokesman Shen Jinke.
The Chinese aircraft identified two US surveillance aircraft and 10 Japanese aircraft, including an F-15 warplane, Shen said.
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