TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The defense ministry detected nine Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels, and two balloons around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Three of the aircraft were reported to have crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, and seven entered the country’s northern and southeastern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ. 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 Chinese military aircraft 61 times and ships 63 times. 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. 

CSIS defines gray zone tactics 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.”