TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese rocket carrying a satellite passed through the eastern part of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday morning (Sept. 24).

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said the rocket was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi at 10:33 a.m. It flew south toward the Yellow Sea, flying over eastern Taiwan, and then headed toward the waters east of the Philippines, MND said. The rocket's altitude was outside the atmosphere, posing no threat to Taiwan, it added.

The MND said it monitored the launch and took appropriate precautionary measures.

In January, China launched the Einstein Probe from Sichuan Province. The satellite flew over Taiwan’s southern airspace. 

China said the probe was a small satellite designed for high-energy astrophysics and astronomy research. It was a joint project between the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the European Space Agency, and Germany's Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.

Taiwan Space Agency Deputy Director Chu Chung-hui (朱崇惠) said at the time that the satellite launch did not appear to prioritize safety. Chu said that due to multiple segments detaching during the satellite's launch, they could potentially fall anywhere, posing a safety concern. However, China does not seem to pay attention to these kinds of issues, he said.

The deputy director said typically, trajectories are set over the ocean to avoid flying over land areas.