TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked four Chinese naval vessels between 6 a.m. on Friday (July 26) and the same time Saturday (July 27). 

No Chinese military planes were spotted and no news of People’s Liberation Army aircraft operations, according to the defense ministry on X.

Typhoon Gaemi’s dramatic influence across the Philippines, Taiwan, and China has curtailed many maritime and flying missions. On Friday, Reuters reported the storm was pummeling towns in coastal Fujian province, which faces Taiwan.

China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels 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.”