CCTV9英语新闻11月：中国在防空识别区进行定期巡逻（在线收听）

China's air force says it will conduct regular air patrols covering its newly established East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone.

Combat aircraft will carry out the patrols to strengthen monitoring of the zone, according to an air defense spokesman. China says the patrols are a "defensive measure" and fall in line with common international practices.

But the spokesman also says the Chinese air force is maintaining a status of "high alert", and will take appropriate measures to deal with any threat to China's airspace.

The announcement follows recent incidents of US, Japanese and South Korean planes entering the zone without informing China of flight plans,  one of the zone's key requirements. The Chinese patrols of the zone began on Thursday.