The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 11 Chinese military aircraft and four naval ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (June 28) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (June 28).
Of the 11 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, three were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including one BZK-005 reconnaissance drone that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the southwest corner of the zone, according to the MND. One WZ-7 reconnaissance drone and one Harbin Z-9 anti-submarine warfare helicopter were also tracked in the southwest sector of the ADIZ.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and used land-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.
So far this month, Beijing has sent 318 military aircraft and 142 naval ships around Taiwan. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships 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.”
Flight paths of three out of 11 PLA aircraft. (MND image)