TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 10 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 6) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (Dec. 7)
Of the 10 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one BZK-005 reconnaissance drone crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the southwest sector of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Meanwhile, one Shenyang J-11 fighter jet entered the southwest corner of the ADIZ.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor PLA activity.
So far this month, Beijing has sent 31 military aircraft and 33 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 two out of 10 PLA aircraft. (MND image)