TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 10 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday (Nov. 6) and 6 a.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 7).
Of the 10 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, three were monitored in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. One Xian JH-7 fighter bomber crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northeast sector of the ADIZ, while one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane entered the southwest corner of the zone.
Meanwhile, one Harbin Z-9 anti-submarine warfare helicopter was tracked in the southeast corner of the identification zone.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed land-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.
So far this month, Beijing has sent 92 military aircraft and 41 naval ships 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 three out of 10 PLA aircraft. (MND image)