Taiwan’s defense ministry announced on Monday ( Nov 25 ) that a Chinese balloon had been discovered over Taiwan’s north over the sea, marking the first time since April when Taipei described it as part of a pattern of Beijing-style harassment.
China claimed Taiwan as its own country, and the country complained that there was “unprecedented” bubble activity in the weeks leading up to its January presidential election.
It described the occurrences as part of a Chinese pressure plan that uses impromptu strategies without available fight to destroy a adversary.
Taiwan asserts that only the people of Taiwan may consider their future and opposes China’s claims of sovereignty.
The ministry reported that the second balloon, which was located 111 kilometers to the north of Taiwan’s Keelung port at 6.21pm native time on Sunday, was located in the ministry’s typical morning update on Foreign military activity over the past 24 hours.
It finally vanished some two hours later, having flown at an altitude of 10km, but without crossing Taiwan itself, the government said.
China’s defence department did not respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan’s complaints about the balloons were recently dismissed by China, saying they were meant to serve weather purposes and not be social gimmicks.
Next year, the United States shot down what it claimed was a Chinese security bubble, raising the possibility that China might use them for spying. China claimed the bubble was a misplaced civil aircraft.