TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked seven Chinese naval vessels and two military aircraft around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. 

The two People’s Liberation Army aircraft did not cross the Taiwan Strait median line. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity. 

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese aircraft 16 times and ships 25 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.”