TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked eight Chinese naval vessels, two official ships, and five military aircraft between 6 a.m. on Saturday and the same time on Sunday.
In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems. Three of the People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s southwestern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, according to the ministry.
So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 5 times and ships 10 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.”
