TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Five Chinese military planes entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday (April 13), marking the 11th intrusion this month.

Four People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets 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 planes, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the PLAAF planes.

Tuesday’s incursion came a day after Beijing sent 25 military aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ in the largest show of Chinese aerial force so far this year.

Since last September, Beijing has stepped up its gray-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes. However, in recent weeks, China has begun sending larger incursions including fighter jets (J-10s and J-16s) into the identification zone.

An ADIZ is an area that extends beyond a country’s air space where air traffic controllers ask incoming aircraft to identify themselves. Gray zone tactics are defined as “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.”

According to MND data, Chinese planes were tracked in Taiwan’s identification zone 18 times in March, 17 times in February, and 27 times in January. Last year, they were observed 19 times in December, 22 times in November, and 22 times in October, including a drone on Oct. 22.





Chinese Y-8 (MND photo)





Flight path of Chinese planes on April 13 (MND image)