Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported that it tracked 20 Chinese military aircraft and six naval ships near the island. This observation was made from Tuesday 6 am to Wednesday 6 pm, according to Taiwan News.
Among the 20 aircraft from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), 13 crossed the Taiwan Strait median line. This line separates Taiwan’s airspace from China’s and is a key marker in the northern, central, southwestern, and eastern sectors of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
In response to these activities, Taiwan sent its aircraft and naval ships to monitor the situation. The country also deployed coastal-based missile systems to keep a close watch on the PLA’s movements.
This month alone, Taiwan’s MND has tracked Chinese military aircraft 388 times and naval ships 119 times. Since September 2020, China has been using what are called “gray zone tactics.” These tactics involve increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around Taiwan without engaging in direct conflict.
Gray zone tactics are efforts that go beyond normal military deterrence. They aim to achieve security goals without using significant force. These actions create pressure and provoke responses without leading to open warfare.
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On Tuesday, Taiwan’s MND reported a notable increase in PLA activity near its airspace. They detected 18 PLA aircraft, six People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels, and one official ship. Of these, eight aircraft crossed into Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern ADIZ, violating the median line.
This incursion marks a significant escalation in tensions between Taiwan and China. Taiwan responded by taking necessary measures to protect its airspace and territorial integrity.
In recent years, Taiwan has faced increasing military maneuvers and provocations from Beijing. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under Chinese control. Taiwan has been governed independently of China since 1949, but Beijing insists that the island is part of its territory and should be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.
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