TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 21 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday (Nov. 19) and 6 a.m. on Monday (Nov. 20).
Of the 21 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, nine were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including six Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and two Chengdu J-10 combat jets that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, according to the MND. Meanwhile, one Shaanxi Y-9 aircraft also entered the southwest corner of the ADIZ.
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 230 military aircraft and 115 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 nine out of 21 PLA aircraft. (MND image)