TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked two Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. on Thursday (March 30) and 6 a.m. on Friday (March 31).

At 9 a.m. on Friday, the MND reported that Taiwan's armed forces monitored the situation and dispatched combat patrol aircraft and navy vessels and activated land-based missile systems in response to the presence of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft and People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels.

Thus far in March, China has dispatched 343 military planes and 112 naval ships around Taiwan. Beijing has stepped up its gray zone tactics in the Taiwan Strait by regularly deploying warplanes and warships in Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, gray zone tactics are “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.”