TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 19 Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels, and two official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. Thursday (Sept. 5) and 6 a.m. Friday (Sept. 6).

Of the 19 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 15 crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered the eastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. These included fighter jets, drones, and helicopters, with one of the helicopters detected to the southeast of Taiwan.

Taiwan sent combat patrol aircraft and naval vessels and deployed land-based air defense missile systems to monitor the PLA activity. 

So far this month, the MND has tracked 83 Chinese military aircraft and 47 ships. Since September 2020, Beijing has increased its use of "gray zone tactics" by operating more military aircraft and naval ships around Taiwan.  

According to CSIS, gray zone tactics are “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."