Taipei: A Chinese carrier rocket is scheduled to launch Thursday, with its flight path expected to pass through Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). The launch is set to take place at China's Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, with the carrier rocket expected to head toward the western Pacific, the MND said in a brief statement Tuesday, without providing further details.
According to Focus Taiwan, an ADIZ is an area designated by a country to enable it to identify, locate, and control approaching foreign aircraft. It is not part of a country's territorial airspace under international law. Separately, the MND reported that it detected one Chinese military aircraft entering Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ during the 24-hour period beginning at 6 a.m. Monday. Additionally, seven Chinese naval vessels were observed operating in waters around Taiwan during the same period.
The ministry also noted the presence of a Chinese military helicopter flying near the western side of the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 4:40 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. Monday. It stated that it had "closely monitored" the Chinese operations and deployed aircraft, naval vessels, and shore-based missile systems in response.