China has condemned Japan for criticizing its new air identification defense zone amid an escalating war of words between the two neighbors. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the flight zone over a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea violates the freedom of aviation over the high seas and should be canceled. But China has once again defended the move-- saying Abe is using the situation to QUOTE maliciously slander Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry says the establishment of the zone is in line with international laws and does not affect aviation freedom. Tensions have been running high between the two Asian powerhouses in the past year over the Japanese-controlled archipelago. Both countries have scrambled jets and carried out patrols in the area. Show Less >>