TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked five Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday (April 2) and 6 a.m. on Monday (April 3).

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and vessels, according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) during this time.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 33 military aircraft and 11 naval vessels around Taiwan. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ.

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.”