Taiwan's Ministry of Defense (MND) on Tuesday detected the presence of Chinese naval vessels in its vicinity. According to the Defense Ministry statement, till 6 am, eight Chinese naval ships were sighted across the country.
In response, Taiwan sent navy ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor People's Liberation Army (PLA) activity, according to the MND.
“8 PLAN ships operating in the vicinity of Taiwan were detected at 6am today (UTC+8),” Taiwan's MND said in a post on Twitter. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly. “No flight path delineation has been provided as no PLA aircraft have crossed the center line.”
Taiwan's Defense Ministry also noted 8 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan on Monday.
According to Taiwan News, the development marks a worrying escalation in tensions between Taiwan and China, which has long claimed sovereignty over the island.
The growing presence of Chinese military assets near Taiwan underscores ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. Taiwan has often expressed concerns about China's military activities and its ambitions to reunite Taiwan with the mainland by force if necessary.
The median line of the Taiwan Strait served as a secret border between China and Taiwan for decades, but since former United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, China's military has shown greater freedom in the Taiwan Strait. It has sent aircraft, warships and drones.
According to Taiwan News, so far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 247 times and naval ships 114 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan.
Gray zone tactics are defined as “a series of efforts or actions beyond steady-state deterrence and reassurance that attempt to achieve one's security objectives without the direct and substantial use of force.”
