Four Chinese military planes enter Taiwan's ADIZ

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, the most planes to engage in such maneuvers on any day in December, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND).

According to an MND report, three Y-8s and a Y-9 transport aircraft entered the airspace between southwest Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Islands (Pratas Islands) in the South China Sea, which is part of Taiwan's ADIZ.

An ADIZ is established by a country to allow identification, location and control of approaching foreign aircraft. However, unlike territorial airspace, no legal foundation for the ADIZ is explicitly stipulated in international law.

The three Y-8s included an anti-submarine variant, a reconnaissance variant and an electronic signals intelligence variant while the Y-9 was an electronic warfare model, according to the ministry.

In response to the incursion, Taiwan's Air Force scrambled planes to monitor the Chinese aircraft, issued radio warnings and mobilized air defense assets, until the Chinese aircraft left the ADIZ, the MND said.

The latest incidents marked the 11th day in December on which the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has undertaken such incursions, according to MND data posted on its website.

As of Dec. 15, the PLA has flown 19 planes into Taiwan's ADIZ in December, according to MND data.