TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked four Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and three official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday and 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
The four People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s central and southwestern air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.
So far this month, the MND has tracked Chinese aircraft 188 times and ships 223 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around the country.
Gray zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”
(MND image)