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Chinese military aircraft enters Taiwan’s ADIZ

Taiwan scrambled jets, deployed air missile defense systems to track PLAAF plane

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Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft on Dec. 1 (MND photo)

Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft on Dec. 1 (MND photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday morning (Dec. 1), according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

A People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft intruded into the southwest corner of the ADIZ. In response, Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the Chinese plane.

In November, PLAAF planes were tracked entering Taiwan’s identification zone a total of 22 times, while in October, Chinese aircraft were observed in the zone on 22 different occasions. Beijing has been regularly harassing Taiwan’s ADIZ for over two and a half months now, with most intrusions occurring in the southwest portion of the zone.

Beginning on Sept. 16, two PLAAF Shaanxi Y-8s flew into the southwest corner of the ADIZ. On Sept. 18, while U.S. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach was in Taiwan on a three-day visit, Beijing sent 18 military planes — including H-6 bombers and J-10, J-11, and J-16 fighter jets split into five groups — to carry out sorties to the northwest of Taiwan and in the southwest portion of the ADIZ, with some crossing over the median line in the Taiwan Strait.

On Sept. 19, the last day of Krach’s visit, another 19 Chinese military aircraft, including bombers, fighter jets, and patrol planes, flew six sorties between an area northwest of Taiwan and the southwest section of the ADIZ, with some again flying over the median line.

On Nov. 2, eight PLAAF planes, including two Y-8s, two SU-30s, two J-10s, and two J-16s, carried out five sorties in the southwest portion of the identification zone, marking the third-largest incursion since Sept. 16. The rest of the intrusions since Sept. 16 have comprised between one and three Chinese military planes, while on Oct. 22, a Chinese drone was also sent into the southwest corner of the ADIZ.

Chinese military aircraft enters Taiwan’s ADIZ
Flight path of Chinese Y-8 on Dec. 1 (MND image)