A Chinese military plane entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday afternoon (September 12), marking the 11th intrusion this month.
A People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane flew into the southwestern corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the PLAAF plane.
Sunday’s incursion marks the 10th day in a row PLAAF planes have flown into the identification zone. Beijing has sent a mix of spotter planes, fighter jets, and bombers there every day this month except for September 2.
Since September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner of the zone.
An ADIZ is an area that extends beyond a country’s airspace where air traffic controllers ask incoming aircraft to identify themselves. Gray zone tactics are defined “as an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.â€
According to MND data, Chinese aircraft were tracked in the ADIZ 14 times in August, 14 times in July, 10 times in June, 18 times in May, 22 times in April, 18 times in March, 17 times in February, and 27 times in January. Last year, they were observed 19 times in December, 22 times in November, and 22 times in October.
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4285764
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Category: Taiwan
