TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) for the 10th time this month on Wednesday afternoon (March 17).

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

Chinese planes were spotted in Taiwan’s identification zone on March 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17.

Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has ratcheted up its gray-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and consisting of one to three planes. An ADIZ is an area that extends beyond a country’s air space 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.” Flights into the ADIZ, amphibious landing exercises, cyberattacks, naval patrols, and diplomatic isolation have all been used by the Chinese in an attempt to wear down Taiwan’s resolve.

According to MND data, Chinese planes were tracked in Taiwan’s identification zone 17 times in February, 27 times in January, 19 times in December, 22 times in November, and 22 times in October, including a drone on Oct. 22.





Flight path of Chinese plane on March 17 (MND image)