TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked 15 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday and 6 a.m. on Thursday. 

All 15 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern, southwestern, and southeastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND. 

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

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 106 times and ships 66 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.