TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked nine Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday. 

Two of the nine People’s Liberation Army aircraft reportedly crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, according to the MND.

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

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese aircraft 36 times and ships 30 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.

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.”