Taiwan tracks 25 Chinese military aircraft, 4 naval ships around nation

Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor PLA activity

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 25 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday (July 24) and 6 a.m. on Tuesday (July 25).

Of the 25 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 10 were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including one TB-001 reconnaissance drone that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and flew along the southern portion of the ADIZ, according to the MND.

Meanwhile, four Shenyang J-16 combat jets, two Shenyang J-11 fighter jets, one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance aircraft, and one CH-4 reconnaissance drone were tracked in the southwest corner of the identification zone.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 393 military aircraft and 156 naval ship sorties 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.”