TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked two Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (April 18) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (April 19).

At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the MND said that two People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and three People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels had been tracked around Taiwan. Of the detected aircraft, one had entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

The aircraft tracked in the ADIZ was a Harbin Z-9 anti-submarine warfare helicopter. It was detected intruding into the southeast corner of Taiwan's ADIZ.

The MND said that it monitored the situation and responded by scrambling combat patrol aircraft, dispatching naval vessels, and deploying air defense missile systems.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, gray zone tactics are “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 path of Harbin Z-9 helicopter. (MND image)