Taiwan reports more suspected Chinese weather balloons crossing Taiwan Strait

TAIPEI – Two suspected Chinese weather balloons flew across the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Dec 17 but stayed well to the north of Taiwan, the island’s defence ministry said on Dec 18.

This is the second time this month that 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

. Beijing said it was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.

Taiwan is on high alert for Chinese activities, both military and political, ahead of the Jan 13

presidential and parliamentary election

. Taipei has warned of Beijing’s efforts to interfere in the ballot to get voters to pick candidates China may prefer.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said the two balloons were detected at 9.03am and 2.43pm after crossing the strait’s median 204km north-west of the northern Taiwanese port city of Keelung.

The balloons flew at an altitude of about 3,230m, headed east and disappeared at 9.36am and 4.35pm respectively, the ministry added.

Its initial judgment is that they are weather balloons, spokesperson Sun Li-fang said.

China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The earlier balloon, which Taiwan reported crossing the Taiwan Strait on Dec 7, was most likely also a weather platform, Taiwan’s defence ministry said at the time, adding that officials announced its detection in the interests of transparency. REUTERS