TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked four Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (May 19) and 6 a.m. on Saturday (May 20).

Of the four People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that time.

The Z-9 anti-submarine warfare helicopter was monitored in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor PLA activity.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 202 military aircraft and 73 naval vessels around Taiwan. 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 resorting to direct and sizable use of force.”



Flight path of PLA aircraft. (MND image)