On New Year’s Day, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense declared that they had marked two Chinese balloons moving over the line that separates Taiwan from China. This line is important because it marks the margin between the two places. One of the balloons even flew right above Taiwan, producing some concern.
Chinese balloons were first noticed on January 1, near the cities of Chiayi in the west and Keelung in the north, both close to the Taiwan Strait. This area is a sensitive waterway that separates Taiwan from China. The ministry shared a picture showing one balloon moving east directly over the island after showing up northwest of Chiayi on the western side.
According to the ministry, these Chinese balloons were in the air at an altitude of about 30,000 to 32,000 feet, which is incompletely 9 to 10 kilometers high. They were moving towards the northeast and vanished around 11:43 PM on the previous day and 12:43 AM on the current day.
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This isn’t the first time Taiwan has got Chinese balloons recently. The sightings started happening last month, and since then, there have been six reported incidents by Taiwanese authorities. The timing is notable because Taiwan is getting ready for a crucial presidential election on January 13.
Chinese balloons have been a sensitive topic before. In February last year, the United States shot down a balloon it demanded was a spy balloon that had floated into its territory. China claimed that it was just a civilian airship that got off course. These incidents often become politically charged and add tension between the two countries.
As Taiwan heads into the election and deals with these balloon incidents, there is heightened awareness and scrutiny over any activities in the region, making it a delicate situation for both sides.
