Ministry of National Defense (MND) of Taiwan detected 24 Chinese military aircraft and five navy vessels in the vicinity of Taiwan between 6 am on Sunday, 11 June, and 6 am on Monday, 12 June. Out of the 24 aircraft, 10 entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The specific aircraft included four Shenyang J-11 fighter jets, four Shenyang J-16 combat jets, and two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter planes, as reported by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.
In response to this activity, Taiwan deployed its own aircraft, navy ships, and land-based missiles to monitor the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activity, according to Taiwan News.
Beijing has sent 141 military aircraft and 53 naval ships around Taiwan so far this month. According to Taiwan News, China has intensified its use of grey zone tactics since September 2020 by gradually increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships patrolling around Taiwan.Grey 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 resorting to direct and substantial use of force.”