Chinese warplane enters Taiwan's air defence zone for second time in July

Taipei: In yet another intrusion by Beijing amid escalating tensions in Taiwan Strait, a Chinese warplane entered Taiwan`s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), marking the second intrusion this month.

According to the Ministry of National Defence, a single People`s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane entered the southwest corner of Taiwan`s ADIZ, Taiwan News reported on Saturday. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defence missiles systems to track the PLAAF.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, even though the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. Chinese planes have been tracked in Taiwan`s identification zone so far this month on July 2 and July 3, with all instances involving slow-flying turboprops. 

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 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," Taiwan News reported.

Citing the Ministry of National Defense data, it further reported that Chinese aircraft were tracked in Taiwan`s identification zone 10 times in June, 18 times in May, 22 times in April, 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.Taiwan has complained in recent months of repeated missions by China`s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part of its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.