This is the first time since April: a Chinese balloon was detected on Sunday afternoon near Taiwan, in the island’s air defense identification zone, the Ministry of Defense announced on Monday, November 25. It was sighted at 6:21 p.m. about 70 miles (111 kilometers) northwest of the island, at an altitude of 33,000 feet (10,058 meters), before leaving the area almost two hours later, at 8:15 p.m.
In addition to the balloon, twelve fighter planes and seven warships were detected around Taiwan in twenty-four hours, between Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday. China regularly sends fighter jets, drones and warships, occasionally balloons, to Taiwan to maintain pressure on the territory over which it claims sovereignty.
Asked on Monday by journalists about this balloon, Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, declared: “ First of all, Taiwan does not have a “defense ministry.” Furthermore, the question you ask me has nothing to do with diplomacy. »
During the presidential campaign before Lai Ching-te was elected Taiwan’s president in January, balloons crossed the waters between Taiwan and China day and night, and some flew over the island. However, no balloon had been detected since April. Taiwan considers this practice to be a form of so-called harassment. “gray area”that is, hostile but not open war.
China, for its part, denied sending balloons over Taiwan and accused Taipei of trying to raise tensions with the mainland. The Beijing regime claims Taiwan as an integral part of its territory and does not rule out using force to take control of it.
Balloons from China became a political issue in early 2023, when the United States shot down what it called a spy balloon over its territory. The object contained numerous electronic devices and flew over US military bases, raising concerns on the US side that Beijing was seizing vital information. China later said it was a civilian plane that had veered off course.
