Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it tracked 23 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships operating around the island country from 6 am Wednesday (local time) to 6 am Thursday (local time).
Of the 23 Chinese military aircraft, 19 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest and eastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ). In response to China’s action, Taiwan’s armed forces dispatched aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor China’s activity.
In a post on X, Taiwan’s MND said, “As of 6 AM (UTC+8) today, 23 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN ships have been detected around #Taiwan. 19 aircraft have crossed the median line of the #TaiwanStrait and entered Taiwan’s SW and E ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and taken action accordingly.”
Taiwan has spotted Chinese military aircraft near its territory 132 times and naval/coast guard vessels 109 times so far in June, Taiwan News reports. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of grey zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating near Taiwan.
As Taiwan News reports, the gray zone strategy is described as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and reassurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without the direct and large-scale use of force.”
This latest incident is among a series of similar provocations by China in recent months. China has increased its military activities around Taiwan, including regular aerial and naval incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has long been a contentious issue in China’s foreign policy. China continues to assert sovereignty over Taiwan and considers it part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.
On June 12, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that from 6 am (local time) on Tuesday to 9 am (local time) on Wednesday, 13 Chinese military aircraft and nine Chinese naval ships were detected operating around Taiwan.
According to Taiwan’s MND, 9 of the 13 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the southwest and southeast parts of Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response to China’s action, Taiwan’s armed forces monitored the situation and responded accordingly.
