TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday (April 25), marking the 18th day of intrusions this month.

Two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets and one Xian H-6 bomber flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the PLAAF planes.

An ADIZ is an area that extends beyond a country’s airspace where air traffic controllers ask incoming aircraft to identify themselves.

So far this month, 61 Chinese military aircraft have been tracked in Taiwan’s identification zone, including 42 fighter jets, three bombers, 11 spotter planes, and five helicopters.

Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner. In 2021, Chinese military planes entered Taiwan’s ADIZ in 961 instances over 239 days, according to the MND.

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.”



Chinese J-16 fighter jet. (MND photo)



Flight paths of Chinese planes on April 25. (MND image)