TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked five Chinese military planes, 10 Naval vessels, and two ships between 6 a.m. on Friday and the same time Saturday.
In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems. All five of the People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, according to the ministry.
Last month, Taiwan tracked Chinese military aircraft 260 times and ships 331 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.”
