TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Seven Chinese military aircraft and one U.S. military plane entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday (Jan. 31).

This is the first time the Ministry of National Defense (MND) has commented on the activity of a U.S. military aircraft in Taiwan’s ADIZ since September, CNA reported. The MND did not publicize the flight path of the American military reconnaissance plane.

During the day on Sunday, China sent one People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, two Chengdu J-10 fighter planes, and two Shenyang J-11 fighter jets into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the MND. Then on Sunday night, two more Shenyang J-11 fighter planes also intruded into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s identification zone.

In response, Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the Chinese planes. Chinese military aircraft were spotted in Taiwan’s ADIZ for a total of 27 days in January.

Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has been regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone. According to the MND data, Chinese aircraft were detected last year in the ADIZ 19 times in December, 22 times in November, and 22 times in October, including a drone on Oct. 22.

Chinese J-10 (MND photo)

Chinese Y-8 REECE (MND photo)

Flight paths of Chinese planes during the day on Jan. 31 (MND image)



Flight path of Chinese planes during the night on Jan. 31 (MND image)