Taiwan detects 10 Chinese military aircraft, six naval ships across the country

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 10 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels across the country between 6 a.m. Sunday (April 21) and 6 a.m. Monday (April 22), Taiwan News reported.

According to the Defense Ministry, eight out of 10 Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line.

In response, Taiwan dispatched aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor PLA activity.

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, Taiwan News reported.

Gray zone strategy is defined as “a series of efforts or efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and reassurance that attempt to achieve one's security objectives without the direct and substantial use of force.”

Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 203 times and naval ships 131 times so far this month.

It is noteworthy that there is tension between Taiwan and China's dispute over the waters around Kinmen. Taiwan News reported in March that China was repeatedly encroaching into the waters around Taiwan-occupied Kinmen.

According to Taiwan news reports in February, boundaries for Kinmen Island were set by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense in 1992.

Although Beijing does not recognize Taiwan's territorial claims (as it claims Taiwan as its own territory), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) argues that China has tacitly observed the boundaries, e.g. To reject them now is a change in the status quo.