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

The four People’s Liberation Army aircraft entered the country’s southwestern air defense identification zone, according to the MND. Taiwan also tracked two Chinese balloons, one to the northwest and another to the north of the nation. 

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

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 181 times and ships 146 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.”