TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Ten Chinese military aircraft flew into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday (June 19), marking the eighth day of intrusions this month.
Four People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, two Chengdu J-10 fighter planes, two Shenyang J-11 jet fighters, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane were tracked in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). Meanwhile, one Xian H-6 bomber entered the southwest and southeast corners of the identification zone.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, broadcast 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, China has sent 21 aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ, including 15 fighter jets, one bomber, and five spotter planes.
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.”
Chinese J-10 fighter plane. (MND photo)
Chinese J-16 fighter jet. (MND photo)
Chinese KJ-500 AEW&C plane. (MND photo)
Chinese H-6 bomber. (MND photo)
Flight paths of Chinese planes on June 19. (MND image)
