A People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday morning, China’s tenth incursion this month.
According to a Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense post on Twitter, a Chinese Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft was spotted entering the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ. This marks the tenth time a Chinese military aircraft has entered Taiwan’s ADIZ in May — with PLAAF intrusions occurring on May 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, and 15.
Taiwan dispatched air patrols, issued radio warnings, dispatched an anti-aircraft missile tracking and monitoring combat air patrol (CAP) aircraft, and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the aircraft’s activity.
According to MND data, PLAAF planes were recorded entering Taiwan’s ADIZ 22 times in April, 18 times in March, 17 times in February, and 27 times in January. An ADIZ is a part of a country’s air space where any detected aircraft is identified and located in the interest of national security.
Frequently sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ is part of Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics — a series of efforts to achieve security objectives without using a direct and sizable use of force.
Emerging Chinese Threats
The continuing threat of a Chinese invasion is putting the Taiwanese government under pressure. Earlier this month, a Taiwanese military expert warned about the PLAAF’s development of a new refueling tanker aircraft capable of carrying out long-range raids, strengthening the Chinese air force’s frontline support for combat aircraft.
Additionally, a Chinese drone developer has built a prototype for a stealth drone that it says rivals the US Air Force’s B-21 Raider. The drone can be used for surveillance as well as precision strikes on enemy command centers, military airstrips, and aircraft carriers.
Meanwhile, calls for Washington to make a clear public commitment to defend Taiwan militarily are growing, as it weighs the risk of defending Taiwan against China.