TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 32 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Thursday (May 11) and 6 a.m. on Friday (May 12).

Of the 32 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 13 were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including one CH-4 combat reconnaissance drone which crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and circled Taiwan clockwise from the northeast sector of the ADIZ to the southwest corner, according to the MND.

One BZK-005 reconnaissance drone and one TB-001 combat reconnaissance drone also crossed the median line in the southwest corner of the ADIZ and flew along the southern portion of the identification zone. Meanwhile, six Chengdu J-10 fighter jets and two Sukhoi Su-30 jet fighters also crossed the median line.

One Shenyang J-16 fighter jet and one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane were also monitored in the southwest sector of the ADIZ.

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

So far this month, Beijing has sent 131 military aircraft and 36 naval vessels 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 resorting to direct and sizable use of force.”



Flight paths of 13 out of 32 PLA aircraft. (MND image)