China public backs air defence zone: survey: The vast majority of Chinese back an air defence zone declared over disputed waters, a survey released Tuesday said, despite the move sharply escalating tensions in the region.
Nearly 85 percent of respondents believe the Air Defence Identification Zone over an area that includes islands administered by Japan would "safeguard (China's) airspace security", according to the poll by the state-run Global Times newspaper.
The newspaper, which is close to the ruling Communist party and often takes a nationalistic stance, said 53.6 percent of respondents believed the zone would help push the dispute over the islands -- known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China -- in Beijing's favour.
Another 39.5 percent felt it would "create a more stable landscape with an even power struggle formed between China and Japan".
