7 Chinese jets, 2 ships detected around Taiwan

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence announced on Saturday that it detected seven Chinese military aircraft and two naval vessels around the nation.

The Chinese planes and naval ships were tracked between Friday, December 22, at six in the morning and Monday, December 22, at two in the morning, according to the MND.

Three of the seven PLA aircraft–two Xi’an H-6s and one Shaanxi Y-8–entered the country’s southwest and southeast air defence identification zones (ADIZ), Taiwan News reported.

Taiwan responded by monitoring PLA operations with planes, naval ships, and air defence missile systems.

Beijing has circled Taiwan with 126 navy vessels and 198 military planes so far this month.

China has been using grey zone tactics more frequently since September 2020, gradually expanding the number of military planes and navy vessels in the Taiwan area, reported Taiwan News.

Grey 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’. (ANI)