TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked six Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and four coast guard ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Thursday (June 6) and 6 a.m. on Friday (June 7). 

Of the six People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one Chinese drone was detected in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), and one PLA helicopter was tracked in the southeast ADIZ, according to the MND.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity. 

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 54 times and naval/coast guard vessels 62 times. 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.”