Taiwan reports Chinese balloon, first time in six months

TAIPEI: Taiwan's defence ministry on Monday (Nov 25) reported that a Chinese balloon had been detected over the sea to Taiwan's north, the first time since April it has reported such an incident in what Taipei views as part of a pattern of harassment by Beijing.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, complained that in the weeks leading up to its presidential election in January Chinese balloon activity took place at an "unprecedented scale".

It described the incidents as part of a Chinese pressure campaign - so-called grey-zone warfare designed to exhaust a foe using irregular tactics without open combat.

Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.

The ministry, in its regular morning update on Chinese military activities over the previous 24 hours, said the single balloon was detected at 6.21pm local time on Sunday 111km to the north of Taiwan's Keelung port.

It then vanished some two hours later, having flown at an altitude of 10km, but without crossing Taiwan itself, the ministry said.

As well as the balloon, 12 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships were detected around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6am on Monday, added the ministry.

China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

China has previously dismissed Taiwan's complaints about the balloons, saying they were for meteorological purposes and should not be hyped up for political reasons.

In the run-up to Taiwan's January presidential election, balloons crossed the sensitive waters separating Taiwan and China day and night, with some floating above the island.

The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue last year when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. 

The huge balloon, which carried a large payload of electronics, flew over sensitive US military installations and prompted concerns Beijing was scooping up vital intelligence.

China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.