Taiwan tracks 24 Chinese military aircraft, 4 naval ships around country

Between 6 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 31) and 6 a.m. on Sunday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) monitored 24 Chinese military aircraft and four navy vessels in the vicinity of Taiwan (Jan. 1). 

According to the MND, 12 of the 24 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line were among the 15 PLA aircraft that were detected in Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ). Four fighter jets from Shenyang J-11, four from Chengdu J-10, and four from Shenyang J-16 crossed the median line.

Meanwhile, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, one Harbin BZK-005 reconnaissance drone, and one BZK-007 reconnaissance drone were monitored in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ.

In response, Taiwan dispatched aircraft and naval ships, and used land-based missile systems to monitor the PLA aircraft and vessels. China has intensified its use of grey zone strategies since September 2020 by routinely dispatching aircraft within Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. “An effort or sequence of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that aims to achieve one’s security objectives without resorting to direct and substantial use of force” is the definition of a grey zone tactic.