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

The four People’s Liberation Army aircraft did not cross the Taiwan Strait median line, according to the MND. The MND also tracked one Chinese balloon to the northeast of the country. 

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 235 times and ships 194 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.”