Taiwan tracks 7 Chinese naval ships, 6 military aircraft

Of the six People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, four crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northern and southwestern sectors of the country’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND, Taiwan News website reported. 

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor the PLA activity. 

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 158 times and naval/coast guard vessels 132 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships 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.”

MNA