TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked eight naval vessels, and one official ship between 6 a.m. on Friday and the same time Saturday. 

In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems.

So far this month, the ministry has tracked Chinese military aircraft 108 times and ships 118 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.”