TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked nine Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Feb. 24) and 6 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 25).

Of the nine People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, two J-16s were tracked in Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and used land-based missiles to monitor the PLA aircraft and vessels.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 297 military aircraft and 103 naval ships around Taiwan. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ.

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.”





Flight path of PLA J-16 aircraft. (MND image)