TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 10 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday (Nov. 20) and 6 a.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 21).
Of the 10 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, four were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets and one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane entered the southwest corner of the ADIZ, while one Harbin Z-9 anti-submarine warfare helicopter was monitored in the southeast sector.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed land-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.
So far this month, Beijing has sent 240 military aircraft and 119 naval ships around Taiwan. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan.
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.”
Flight paths of four out of 10 PLA aircraft. (MND image)
