Taiwan’s defense ministry reported the detection of a Chinese balloon over waters northwest of the island on Sunday, marking the first such incident since April, Al Jazeera reports.
The balloon, spotted at 6:21 PM local time (10:21 GMT) about 69 miles northwest of Keelung City at an altitude of 33,000 feet, transited Taiwan’s air defense identification zone before disappearing at 8:15 PM.
The ministry’s daily report on Chinese military activity also noted the presence of 12 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships in the vicinity of Taiwan during the 24-hour period ending early Monday. This renewed balloon activity follows complaints from Taipei in the lead-up to January’s presidential election regarding an “unprecedented scale” of Chinese balloon incursions.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly threatened to use force if the island declares independence. Beijing’s persistent deployment of military assets, including fighter jets, drones, warships, and balloons, is viewed by Taiwan as a form of “grey zone” harassment, a tactic falling short of outright war. China has previously dismissed Taiwanese concerns, attributing the balloons to meteorological purposes.
This latest incident comes amidst reports from Japan’s Kyodo News Agency detailing US contingency plans for military deployments in Japan and the Philippines in a potential Taiwan emergency. These plans, expected to be finalized in a joint operation plan in December, reportedly include the deployment of a US Marine regiment equipped with HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) along Japan’s Nansei island chain, as well as US Army long-range fire units in the Philippines. Japan’s role is primarily envisioned as logistical support.
The US has been actively bolstering alliances in the region, a move that has drawn strong criticism from Beijing. Recent developments include a defense pact between the US and the Philippines granting US forces access to four additional military bases, and a new military intelligence-sharing agreement between the two countries. A similar defense pact signed in July between Japan and the Philippines further strengthens regional security cooperation.
