Taiwan says Chinese balloon detected near island

A woman walks past a Taiwanese national flag at Maritime Plaza in Keelung on October 22, 2024. Agence France-Presse

TAIPEI — Taiwan said Monday it had detected a Chinese balloon over waters northwest of the island, the first reported since April, as Beijing maintains pressure on Taipei to accept its claims of sovereignty.

Communist China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has refused to renounce the use of force to bring it under its control.

Beijing regularly deploys fighter jets, drones and warships around Taiwan, and occasionally balloons, as it keeps up military pressure.

READ: China says it is launching military drills around Taiwan

The latest balloon was spotted at 6:21 pm (1021 GMT) on Sunday about 111 kilometers (69 miles) northwest of Keelung City at an altitude of 33,000 feet (10,058 meters), said the defense ministry, which releases daily data on China’s military presence around Taiwan.

It entered the island’s air defense identification zone and disappeared at 8:15 pm, the ministry said.

As well as the balloon, 12 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships were detected around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6:00 am Monday, the ministry said.

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.

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Taiwan has described the balloons as a form of “grey zone” harassment — a tactic that falls short of an act of war.

China has previously brushed off allegations it sends balloons over Taiwan, accusing Taipei of trying to raise tensions with the mainland.

Balloons from China became a politically fraught topic in early 2023 when the United States shot down what it called a spy 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.

Beijing has said it was a civilian airship blown off-course.