TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked six Chinese naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The MND said Taiwan sent combat patrol aircraft and naval vessels, and deployed coastal air-defense missile systems, to monitor PLA activity. No PLA aircraft were detected operating around Taiwan during this timeframe.
So far this month, the MND has tracked Chinese military aircraft two times and ships 61 times. Since September 2020, Beijing has increased its use of "gray zone tactics" by operating military aircraft and naval ships around Taiwan.
According to CSIS, gray zone tactics are “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resorting to direct and sizable use of force."
