TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked seven Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Sept. 20) and 6 a.m. on Saturday. 

Of the seven People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, five crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern and central air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity. 

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked 315 Chinese military aircraft and 166 ships. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels 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.”