Taipei [Taiwan], June 26 : Taiwan, on Wednesday, reported that a total of 18 China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and 6 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected operating around Taiwan as of 6 am (local time), Taiwan News reported.
According to the Ministry of National Defence, of the 18 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, five crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northern, southwestern, and eastern sectors of the country's air defence identification zone (ADIZ).
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity, as per Taiwan News.
On June 25, the Ministry of National Defence said that it detected 17 Chinese military aircraft and 8 naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 am on Monday and 6 am on Tuesday (local time), Taiwan News reported.
This development reflects ongoing tensions between Beijing and Taipei over issues of sovereignty and regional security.
The Ministry of National Defence reiterated Taiwan's commitment to safeguarding its territorial integrity and maintaining regional stability amid heightened military activities in the area.
According to Taiwan News, the presence of PLA aircraft and PLAN vessels near Taiwan has raised concerns internationally, particularly amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.
The United States and other regional allies have been closely monitoring the situation, underscoring the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 336 times and naval/coast guard vessels 197 times.
Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan.
Gray 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."
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