A child crosses a Taiwanese flag banner during the official results announcement on January 13, 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan.
Sawayasu Tsuji | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that it had spotted eight Chinese balloons crossing the Taiwan Strait in the past 24 hours, with five of them passing over Taiwan, the second day in a row that a large number of balloons have been reported.
Despite Taipei’s strong opposition, Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, has complained about the balloons since December, calling them a threat to air security and an attempt at psychological warfare. .
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said in its daily report on China’s military activities that it found the first balloon on Saturday morning, a similar number on Friday and the last balloon in mid-afternoon.
The five people traveled across northern and central Taiwan, according to maps provided by the ministry.
China’s Ministry of Defense did not respond to calls seeking comment on Sunday. China and Taiwan are currently celebrating Lunar New Year, the most important holiday in the Chinese-speaking world.
Last month, the Chinese government dismissed Taiwan’s repeated complaints about the balloons, insisting they were for weather observation purposes and should not be hyped for political reasons.
Chinese warplanes fly over the Taiwan Strait daily, frequently crossing the median line that previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two countries. China says it does not recognize the existence of that line.
Last month, Taiwan elected Vice President Lai Ching-de, who China describes as a dangerous separatist, as its next president.
Mr. Lai, who will take office in May, offered to hold talks with China, but his request was rejected. Only Taiwanese people can decide their future, he says.
The possibility that China could use balloons for espionage became a global issue last February when the United States shot down a balloon it claimed was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China claimed the balloon was a civilian aircraft that accidentally drifted adrift.