TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 27 Chinese military aircraft and nine naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Dec. 15) and the next day at the same time.

Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor China’s military activity. Ten of the detected aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered Taiwan’s north and southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

They comprised: One Harbin BZK-005 reconnaissance aircraft, six Chengdu J-10 multirole fighters, two Shenyang J-16 fighters, and one Shaanxi Y-8.

The previous day the defense ministry reported 12 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and nine People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels around Taiwan. An additional 10 Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line or were detected in the ADIZ later Friday.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 174 military aircraft and 111 naval ships 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.”

(MND image)