Chinese aircraft enter Taiwan’s air defence zone

Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on January 30, marking the 23rd intrusion this month, reported Taiwan News. According to the Ministry of National Defense (MND), two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-11 fighter jets and two Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare planes flew into the southwest corner of the ADIZ. Taiwan responded by sending planes, issuing radio warnings, and deploying air defence assets to keep an eye on the PLAAF planes. Notably, an ADIZ is a zone that extends outside a country’s airspace where approaching aircraft are asked to identify themselves by air traffic controllers, reported the news portal.

Except for the days of January 3, 9, 16, 21, 22, 26, and 29, China has deployed planes into Taiwan’s identification zone every day this month. According to MND data, a total of 137 Chinese jets had been spotted there in January, including 98 fighters, three bombers, and 36 spotter planes. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of grey zone tactics by flying aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ on a regular basis, with the majority of incidents occurring in the southwest corner. 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.

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