TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked six Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (May 23) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (May 24).

Of the six People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane and one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane were monitored in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that time.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor PLA activity.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 235 military aircraft and 92 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 resort to direct and sizable use of force.



Flight paths of two out of six PLA aircraft. (MND image)