TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China on Thursday (April 13) warned of falling rocket debris when it imposes a no-fly zone to the north of Taiwan on Monday (April 16).
China's Fujian Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation warning saying that from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 16, "there may be falling rocket wreckage" within a zone designated by four main points in the East China Sea, and that entry into this area at this time is banned. The restricted area is located in the northern sector of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
The coordinates of the four points listed in the navigation warning are:
A: 26°05.58′N/123°20.52′E
B: 25°42.30′N/122°55.50′E
C: 26°32.94′N/121°57.06′E
D: 26°56.40′N/122°22.08′E
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on Wednesday (April 12) said it had been notified by the Civil Aviation Administration Of China on Tuesday (April 11) that navigation would be barred in the area from April 16-18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. However, after the MOTC filed a protest about the massive disruption to flights this would cause, China changed the no-fly zone period from 9:30 a.m. to 9:57 a.m., a period of just 27 minutes.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Deputy Intelligence Minister Yen Yu-hsien (顏有賢) said the no-fly zone is about 85 nautical miles (157 km) north of Taiwan inside its ADIZ. Yen said the purpose of the no-fly zone is believed to be "aerospace activities," but the details of the maneuvers are under investigation.
Transportation Minister Wang Kuo-tsai (王國材) said that a full day closure of that area of airspace would impact 18 international routes and 160 flights per day. If the navigation warning remains in effect as stated, it would mean that China had reneged on its pledge to shorten the airspace closure to 27 minutes and would affect many more flights.
Navigation warning issued on Thursday. (Fujian Maritime Safety Administration screenshot)
