Taiwan tracks four Chinese naval vessels amid mounting tensions

Taipei [Taiwan], April 29 : Taiwan tracked four Chinese naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 am on Sunday and 6 am on Monday (local time), Taiwan News reported citing country's Chinese naval vessels (MND).

In response, Taiwan sent naval ships and used land-based missile systems to monitor the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) activity, according to the ministry.

"4 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and employed appropriate forces to respond," Taiwan's MND posted on social media platform X.

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1784784305216250111

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 240 times and naval vessels 169 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," as reported by Taiwan News.

Earlier on Sunday, Taiwan tracked 22 Chinese military aircraft and four Chinese naval vessels vessels operating around Taiwan

Amid escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the island nation's Ministry of National Defence has repeatedly detected Chinese military aircraft and vessels operating near Taiwan.

The provocative maneuvers by Chinese military assets come amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China, with Beijing asserting its territorial claims over the self-governing island.

Taiwan has long been a source of contention between China and the international community, with Beijing viewing the island as an integral part of its territory, while Taiwan maintains its sovereignty.

So far in April, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence has detected Chinese military aircraft 207 times and naval vessels 144 times. Since September 2020, China has intensified the use of "gray zone tactics" by deploying military aircraft and naval vessels over the median line and inside Taiwan's ADIZ, according to Taiwan News report.

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