TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 22 Chinese military aircraft and 20 naval ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday (Sept. 11) and 6 a.m. on Tuesday (Sept. 12).

Of the 22 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 13 entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including one BZK-005 reconnaissance drone that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the southwest corner of the country’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND.

Meanwhile, 10 Shenyang J-16 combat jets, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft were tracked in the southwest sector of the zone. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 77 military aircraft and 62 naval ship sorties 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 13 out of 22 PLA aircraft. (MND image)