TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked seven Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday (May 8) and 6 a.m. on Tuesday (May 9).

Of the seven People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, two were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. One Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northeast sector of the ADIZ, while one Shenyang J-11 fighter plane was monitored in the southwest corner of the zone.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and used land-based missiles to monitor the PLA planes and vessels.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 90 military aircraft and 42 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.”



Flight paths of two out of seven PLA aircraft. (MND image)