Taiwan detects ten Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels across the country

The Chinese balloon, which crossed the center line 115 km (62 NM) northwest of Keelung at 8:03 a.m., traveled north and disappeared at 8:50 a.m. (local time) | Photo: Shutterstock

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced that it detected 10 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels near Taiwan between 6 a.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday. Taiwan MND also tracked a Chinese balloon crossing the center line 115 km (62 NM) northwest of Keelung on Tuesday.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, of the 10 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, two crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait and four crossed the southwestern corner of the country’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

In response to Chinese activities, Taiwan has sent aircraft and naval vessels and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the activities of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Taiwan News report said.

The Chinese balloon, which crossed the center line 115 km (62 NM) northwest of Keelung at 8:03 a.m., traveled north and disappeared at 8:50 a.m. (local time).

In a post on Entering SW ADIZ of Taiwan. #ROCArmedForces has been monitoring the situation and deploying appropriate forces to respond.”

So far in April, Taiwan has detected Chinese military aircraft 57 times and naval vessels 57 times. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around Taiwan.

According to the Taiwan News report, gray zone tactics are “an effort or set of efforts that go beyond stable deterrence and assurance and that seeks to achieve one’s security objectives without resorting to direct and extensive use of force.”

On April 9, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it had detected seven Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels across the country between 6 a.m. Monday (local time) and 6 a.m. Tuesday (local time).

In a message on of Taiwan and entered the SW of Taiwan and eastern ADIZ.

(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

First print: April 10, 2024 | 1:52 p.m IST