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

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) helicopter entered the country's eastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND.

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

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 40 times and naval vessels 35 times. 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.”