TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 13 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Jan. 5) and the same time Saturday (Jan. 6).

The MND added two PRC balloons were also detected Friday after crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The balloons were heading northeast and disappeared in the afternoon.

Of the 13 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one Guizhou WZ-7 Soaring Dragon high-altitude drone entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that time.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the PLA activity.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 40 Chinese military aircraft and 22 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.”

(MND photo)