Taiwan says it detected Chinese military drone entering southwestern air zone

By Saadet Gokce and Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Taiwan on Saturday said that a People's Liberation Army (PLA) reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was detected entering its southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), with China saying it conducted a 'justified and lawful' drone exercise in Dongsha Island.

At 5.41 am (2141GMT Friday), the UAV was "detected entering Taiwan’s southwestern ADIZ and entering airspace near Dongsha (the Pratas Islands)," the Defense Ministry said on the US social media company X.

An ADIZ is a designated area of international airspace extending beyond a nation's sovereign borders where aircraft identification is required for national security purposes.

Dongsha or Pratas Island is located in the northern part of the disputed South China Sea.

"After radio warnings, the UAV departed the area," the ministry said, adding that they are "monitoring the situation and responding accordingly."

The ministry also said that 26 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 am (2200GMT Friday).

"Seven out of 26 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded," it added.

China said on Saturday that the PLA Southern Theater Command has recently conducted routine drone flight training in the airspace over Dongsha Island.

"The training was completely justified and lawful," said Tian Junli, spokesperson for the command, according to state-run Xinhua News.

Last month, China conducted a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan.

- Beijing says it monitored 2 US vessels' transit through Taiwan Strait

Separately, China’s PLA Eastern Theater Command said on Saturday that it monitored two US vessels' transit through the Taiwan Strait from Friday to Saturday.

The command deployed naval and air assets to “monitor and track the movements of the two vessels,” command spokesperson Xu Chenghua said, according to Xinhua.

The two vessels were the US guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn and the oceanographic survey vessel USNS Mary Sears, Xu mentioned.

“The PLA Eastern Theater Command remains on high alert to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability,” he said.

There was no immediate reaction to China’s claims by the US.