TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked nine Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and two official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Thursday and 6 a.m. on Friday. 

All nine of the People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the southwest corner of the country’s air defense identification zone, according to the MND. The MND also tracked six Chinese balloons, one of which floated over central Taiwan. 

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 Chinese military aircraft 88 times and ships 41 times. 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.”