TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 68 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 13) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (Sept. 14).

Of the 68 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 40 were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Twelve Chengdu J-10 fighter jets and four Sukhoi Su-30 combat jets either crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or entered the southern portion of the ADIZ.

Two Shaanxi Y-9 aircraft, one BZK-005 reconnaissance drone, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane flew into the southwest corner of the identification zone. Meanwhile, 16 Shenyang J-16 jet fighters, three Xian Y-20 aerial tankers, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft flew along the southern 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 172 military aircraft and 85 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 40 out of 68 PLA aircraft. (MND image)