TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two Chinese military aircraft were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday (July 10), marking the fourth day of intrusions this month.
One People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane and one 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 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, China has sent 17 military aircraft into Taiwan’s identification zone, including 10 fighter jets and seven 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 Y-8 ASW plane. (MND photo)
Flight paths of Chinese planes on July 11. (MND image)
