TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said 42 Chinese military aircraft were tracked around Taiwan, with 29 crossing the Taiwan Strait median line, on Saturday (April 8).

In addition, there were eight Chinese military ships, according to an 11 a.m. press release. The 42 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft tracked in Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) included Chengdu J-10 fighter jets, Shenyang J-11 jet fighters, and Shenyang J-11 fighter planes. 

The incursion came after China announced a large scale, three-day military drill around Taiwan on Saturday morning, a response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) meeting with U.S. House Speaker Keven McCarthy.

Earlier, the MND confirmed it had tracked 13 PLA aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (April 7) and 6 a.m. on Saturday (April 8). Of the 13 PLA aircraft, four were tracked in the ADIZ, including two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, one Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet, and one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, according to the MND. 

So far this month, Beijing has sent 125 military aircraft and 34 naval vessels 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 resorting to direct and sizable use of force.”

Flight paths of PLA aircraft earlier between Friday and Saturday. (MND image)