TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked nine Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday (Sept. 29) and 6 a.m. on Monday. 

Of the nine People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, eight crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the southwest corner of the country’s 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. 

In September, Taiwan has tracked 439 Chinese military aircraft and 224 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.”