Taiwan, on Sunday, announced the detection of eight additional Chinese balloons traversing the Taiwan Strait within the past 24 hours, with five directly overflying the island. The Ministry of National Defense disclosed that these balloons were observed at altitudes ranging from 12,000 to 35,000 feet, as reported by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. A released map illustrated five of the balloons passing directly over the island, with one skirting its northern tip.
China has yet to respond to this development, occurring amidst Lunar New Year festivities, a significant occasion across Chinese-speaking communities.
This recent incident follows a prior detection of eight balloons on Friday, marking the highest tally since the defense ministry commenced regular disclosures of balloon sightings in December. Despite Taiwan’s persistent objections, the Xi Jinping administration has consistently dismissed concerns, attributing the balloons to meteorological operations and cautioning against politicizing the issue.
Asserting sovereignty over Taiwan, China maintains its stance on not ruling out the use of force to assert control over the island. Recent years have seen heightened military activities, including frequent deployments of warplanes and naval vessels in proximity to Taiwan.
In February last year, Taiwanese authorities raised alarms after spotting a balloon within the island’s airspace, though details regarding its origin remained undisclosed.
These latest sightings coincide with Taiwan’s presidential election on January 13, won by the Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai Ching-te. Preceding the election, China issued warnings regarding Lai’s potential impact on Taiwan, yet refrained from notable escalations immediately thereafter.
Taiwan reported significant incursions post-election, including the detection of 33 Chinese warplanes around the island.
Amidst these developments, Taiwan has instructed local travel agencies to halt new group tours to China due to Beijing’s ongoing prohibition on Chinese tourist visits to Taiwan. Initially scheduled for resumption on March 1 following pandemic-related suspensions, the decision reflects evolving circumstances, including China’s recent alteration of a flight route through the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan’s tourism administration clarified the directive, citing changing circumstances as a reason for ceasing tour arrangements. In response, China’s Taiwan affairs office criticized the move, accusing Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities of politicizing tourism to the detriment of Taiwanese citizens and the tourism sector.
