TAIPEI [Taiwan], Taiwan's Ministry of Defense (MND) on Tuesday detected the presence of Chinese naval vessels in its vicinity. According to the Defense Ministry statement, as of 6 am, eight Chinese naval vessels were sighted around the country. According to MND https, in response, Taiwan sent naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor People's Liberation Army (PLA) activity. https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/179272478512823523 [https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1792724785128235230 UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.The Defense Ministry in Taiwan on Monday also noted 8 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan. According to Taiwan News, the developments mark a worrying increase in tensions between Taiwan and China, which has long claimed sovereignty over the island. The growing presence of Chinese military assets near Taiwan underscores ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. Taiwan has often expressed concerns about China's military activities and its ambitions to reunite Taiwan with the mainland by force if necessary. The midline of the Taiwan Strait has served as a silent border between China and Taiwan for decades, but China's military dispatches aircraft more freely.Warships and drones have passed through Taiwan since former United States House Speaker Nan Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022. According to Taiwan News, so far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 247 times and naval ships 114 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan. Gray zone strategy is defined as "a series of efforts or efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and reassurance" that attempts to achieve its security objectives without resorting to the direct and large use of force."