Beijing regularly sends fighter planes, drones and warships, occasionally balloons, around Taiwan in order to maintain its pressure on the territory over which it claims sovereignty.
The balloon was spotted at 6:21 p.m. (11:21 a.m. in France) on Sunday about 111 kilometers northwest of the island at an altitude of 33,000 feet (10,058 m), the defense ministry said, which publishes daily data on China’s military presence around Taiwan. He left the air defense identification zone at 8:15 p.m., according to the same source.
In addition to the balloon, 12 fighter jets and seven warships were detected around Taiwan between 6 a.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday.
“Hostile harassment”
During the presidential campaign that preceded Lai Ching-te’s election as Taiwan’s president in January, balloons crossed the waters between Taiwan and China day and night, and some flew over the island. However, no balloon had been detected since April.
Taiwan considers this practice as a form of so-called “gray zone” harassment, that is to say hostile but not open warfare. China has in the past denied sending balloons over Taiwan, accusing Taipei of trying to increase tensions with the mainland.
Asked about this balloon by journalists on Monday, Mao Ning, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared: “First of all, Taiwan does not have a ministry of defense. Furthermore, the question you are asking me has nothing to do with diplomacy. »Communist China claims Taiwan as an integral part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to take control of it.
Belgium
