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Chinese anti-submarine helicopters detected in Taiwan's ADIZ

ROC Central News Agency

06/20/2023 04:15 PM

Taipei, June 20 (CNA) A total of four Chinese military anti-submarine helicopters were detected in Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the past three days, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday.

According to the MND, one Z-9 helicopter was detected on Sunday, two were detected on Monday and the other one was detected on Tuesday, all in the southeastern part of Taiwan's ADIZ.

Taiwan's ADIZ, a unilaterally declared area in which the military tries to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft, is not considered territorial airspace as defined by international law.

Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Chang Yen-ting (張延廷) told CNA Tuesday that the Z-9 helicopters were dispatched by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for air and underwater anti-submarine training.

He added that the helicopters usually operate at low altitudes and can detect submarine activities, including those of the U.S. military.

Chang said that the PLA has expanded its anti-submarine training from two-dimensional to three-dimensional to include air assets as well as submarines.

He added that the PLA had also expanded its military activity from waters southwest of Taiwan to the air and sea areas southeast of Taiwan.

Wang Kun-yi (王崑義), head of the Taiwan International Strategic Studies Society, said that the PLA's ADIZ incursions might be targeted at the United States and Japan as well as Taiwan.

Wang said that if war broke out in the Taiwan Strait, the United States and Japan would help to defend or intervene, and their militaries might land in eastern Taiwan.

As a result, the PLA's military drills conducted in the east of Taiwan carry the message of China's anti-access and area denial strategy, which limits the intervention and deterrence capabilities of the United States, its regional allies, and partners.

(By Henry Wu and Evelyn Yang)

Enditem/ASG