Taiwan detected a Chinese balloon over its waters, marking increased military pressure from Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory. This incident follows a tense backdrop ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election.
Taiwan announced on Monday that it detected a Chinese balloon over waters northwest of the island, marking the first sighting since April. This incident occurs amid ongoing pressure from Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and refuses to rule out forceful unification.
The balloon, spotted at an altitude of over 10,000 meters, entered Taiwan’s air defense zone before disappearing shortly after. Accompanying this observation, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported 12 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships in the area, continuing a pattern of military presence.
In the lead-up to Taiwan’s presidential election, the presence of balloons has been characterized by Taiwan as “gray zone” harassment. While China downplays these allegations, the geopolitical implications of balloon sightings have gained attention, especially following a similar incident involving the U.S. earlier this year.
