Approached by 7 planes and 5 Chinese military ships, Taiwan deploys missiles

In response, Taipei deployed combat patrol aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said one of seven Chinese military aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered southwest Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

“7 PLA aircraft [Tentara Pembebasan Rakyat] and 5 PLA-N ships operating around Taiwan were detected until 06.00 this morning. One of them crosses the median line of the Taiwan Strait and enters the southwest of the ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces has been monitoring the situation and responded appropriately,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement posted on X.

On Saturday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said nine military aircraft and five Chinese Navy ships were detected operating near Taiwan from 06.00 am on Friday to 06.00 am on Saturday.

So far in May, Taiwan has detected Chinese military aircraft 39 times and Chinese Navy ships 21 times, Taiwan News reported on Saturday.

Since September 2020, Beijing has intensified its use of “gray zone tactics” by operating more military aircraft and Navy ships near Taiwan.

According to the agency think tank CSIS, gray zone tactics are defined as an effort or series of efforts beyond established deterrence and assurance, namely efforts to achieve one’s security objectives without resorting to the direct and large use of force.

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