TAIPEI — Taiwan’s Defence Ministry reported on Nov 25 the detection of a Chinese balloon over the sea north of the island, marking the first such sighting since April. The incident comes as Taiwan braces for its January presidential election, which has seen what Taipei describes as “unprecedented” Chinese balloon activity as part of Beijing’s ongoing pressure campaign.
The ministry detected the balloon at 6:21 p.m. on Nov 24, approximately 60 nautical miles north of Taiwan’s Keelung Port. It flew at an altitude of 10,000 meters before disappearing two hours later without crossing into Taiwan’s airspace, according to officials.
Taipei has characterized such incidents as elements of China’s “grey-zone warfare,” a strategy employing irregular tactics to wear down adversaries without direct conflict. Taiwan has repeatedly rejected China’s sovereignty claims, asserting that the island’s future can only be decided by its own people.
China’s Defence Ministry has yet to comment on the recent incident. In the past, Beijing has dismissed Taiwan’s concerns about balloon activity, claiming they serve meteorological purposes and should not be politicized.
The potential for Chinese balloons to be used for surveillance gained global attention in 2023 when the United States shot down what it described as a Chinese spy balloon. Beijing maintained it was a civilian craft that had veered off course.