TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked eight Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and two official ships between 6 a.m. on Friday and the same time Saturday. 

The ministry reported all eight of the sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems.

So far this month, the ministry has tracked Chinese military aircraft 75 times and ships 67 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.”