TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two Chinese military planes flew into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday (June 5), marking the second day of intrusions this month.

Two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets entered 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 track 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 China has sent three aircraft into Taiwan’s identification zone, including two fighter jets and one spotter plane.

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 on 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.”



Flight paths of Chinese jets on June 5. (MND image)