TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected three more Chinese balloons flying across the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, and one of those flew over the island, the second day in a row it has reported such activity. The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue in February 2023 when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.
Eight Chinese fighter jets and a surveillance balloon were detected by Taiwan's defense forces crossing over the median line of the Taiwan Strait in the past 24 hours, Reuters reported on Dec. 24.
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will "handle" Chinese balloons flying nearby based on threat assessments, though officials believe the current wave is for weather purposes, driven by the prevailing winds at this time of year, the defence ministry in Taipei said on Wednesday. The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue in February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.
A suspected Chinese weather balloon flew across the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Monday but stayed well north of Taiwan, the island's defence ministry said on Tuesday, the third time this month Taipei has reported them nearby. The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue in February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.