TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked 15 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Sept. 27) and the same time Saturday. 

Ten of the Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s southwestern and southeastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the defense ministry.

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

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked 422 Chinese military aircraft and 213 ships. Since September 2020, 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.”