Taipei, Dec 22: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence announced on Thursday that eight Chinese People’s Liberation Army aircraft and 3 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected at 6 a.m. UTC.The Ministry said that the Taiwan Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked appropriate forces to respond.
“8 PLA aircraft and 3 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and tasked appropriate forces to respond,” stated Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence on X.
Taiwanese officials have declared that they will take action in response to Chinese balloons flying in close proximity, contingent on threat assessments. The defence ministry in Taipei emphasised on Wednesday that the current surge in balloon activity is believed to be related to weather monitoring, influenced by the prevailing winds during this time of year, Voice of America reported.
The global concern over the potential espionage use of balloons gained traction in February when the United States claimed to have shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon. China, however, insisted that the balloon was a civilian craft that had unintentionally strayed off course.
With the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13, Taiwan remains on high alert for various Chinese activities, both military and political. Officials in Taipei have issued warnings, suggesting that Beijing might attempt interference to influence voters in favour of candidates preferred by China.
Throughout this month, Taiwan’s defence ministry has reported four instances of Chinese balloons traversing the sensitive Taiwan Strait, then entering the island’s northern airspace before disappearing. Defence Ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang revealed to reporters that the Chinese balloons are more frequently observed from October to March due to seasonal winds, according to Voice of America.
“Generally speaking, most of the ones we have spotted so far are weather balloons,” Sun stated. “They are from mainland China, and not necessarily from the People’s Liberation Army.” He emphasised that the ministry will respond to Chinese balloons based on the assessed threat level, but the specifics of these actions are classified.
The ministry has committed to disclosing information if the balloons are identified for surveillance purposes. However, Sun highlighted the challenge of determining whether the current sightings are connected to the upcoming elections. The balloons, according to the ministry, have consistently disappeared after travelling north of Taiwan, possibly disintegrating at a certain altitude or exiting the military-monitored area.
Despite several requests for comment, China’s defence ministry has not responded to inquiries about the balloons. Lo Yong-chang from Taiwan’s Defence Ministry’s joint operations department mentioned that during the election period from January 12 to January 14, the military would heighten its alert status, as has been customary during previous votes, Voice of America reported.