9 Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwan air defence zone
Sep 16, 2021
Taipei [Taiwan], September 16 : Nine Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, marking the 14th intrusion this month.
Six People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft flew into the southwest corner of the ADIZ, Taiwan News reported citing the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defence missiles systems to monitor the PLAAF planes.
Wednesday's incursion marks the 13th consecutive day Chinese planes have flown into Taiwan's identification zone. Beijing has sent a mix of spotter planes, fighter jets, and bombers into the zone every day this month except for September 2, Taiwan News reported.
It further reported that since September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its grey-zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner of the zone.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island.
