TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The suspected appearance of two Chinese Xi’an H-6 bombers near Orchid Island in Taitung County has not been confirmed by the Ministry of National Defense, reports said Tuesday (Sept. 22).
Intrusions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) have grown more frequent over the past few months, with 37 such incidents taking place over just two days last week as U.S. Undersecretary of State Keith Krach visited Taiwan.
According to observers of military affairs who listen in on broadcasts, two Chinese bombers flew to the east of Taiwan from north to south, and when they passed close to Orchid Island after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, the Air Force reportedly scrambled jets to ward them off, UDN reported. However, the Ministry of National Defense has not commented on the reports.
Just before noon, the Twitter handle CANUK78 reported the presence of an unidentified plane inside the southwestern corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, the scene of numerous previous violations. The netizen speculated the aircraft might be a Chinese spy plane.
UDN has conjectured that missile radar vehicles spotted on a road near Taitung Monday afternoon (Sept. 21) might be linked to the recent sightings of Chinese warplanes in the region.