A Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft yesterday entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the Ministry of National Defense said.
Two US reconnaissance planes and a refueling aircraft also flew near Taiwan’s airspace, the ministry added, but it did not disclose their routes.
Seven Chinese military aircraft on Sunday flew into Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ, as well as a US military reconnaissance aircraft that was monitored flying close to Taiwan’s airspace, it said.
Although the US aircraft’s flight route was not provided, it was the first time that the ministry had revealed the movements of a US military aircraft since September last year.
The government rarely speaks publicly about US activity near the nation, normally when US warships sail through the Taiwan Strait, although diplomatic and security sources say that there are frequent US air and naval missions close to Taiwan.
The Chinese aircraft involved in the intrusion on Sunday were a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, two J-10 and four J-11 fighters, the ministry said.
The air force responded by scrambling fighters to monitor them, issuing radio warnings and mobilizing air defense assets until the planes left the ADIZ, it added.
China sent 15 military aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ on Jan. 24, the highest number this year, and its aircraft entered the nation’s ADIZ on 27 days last month, according to the ministry’s Web site.
Due to the increasing number of incursions by Chinese warplanes in the past few months, the ministry on Sept. 17 last year began to publish their movements on its Web site to keep the public better informed.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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