Military
Chinese balloons over Taiwan again: choice possible reason
The US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the northern US last year. photo
© Larry Mayer/The Billings Gazette/AP/dpa
Chinese balloons are floating over Taiwan again. What Beijing intends to do with this is unclear. A new government will soon be elected in the island republic. Is there a connection?
Shortly before the presidential and parliamentary elections Taiwan’s military once again discovered several suspicious Chinese balloons over its territory. One of them flew from the west over the center of the East Asian island state on Wednesday, the other two were discovered in the west and northwest over the sea, the Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday in Taipei.
Experts suspect that the balloons could be used to intimidate the population before the election. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing did not initially respond to a request this morning about what was intended with the balloons.
Balloons as intimidation?
The incidents are reminiscent of the overflight of a Chinese balloon in the USA last year. Washington accused Beijing of using it for espionage. China, however, said the balloon had drifted and was used to measure weather. The USA shot the aircraft out of the sky.
The recent discoveries about Taiwan may have something to do with the January 13 election. “China intentionally took advantage of the favorable southwesterly wind to frequently release such non-motorized weather balloons and fly over Taiwan, thus intimidating the people of Taiwan before the election,” Su Tzu-yun of the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Research told Deutsche Presse -Agency. Michelle Lin of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) also said the balloons were intended to intimidate the people of Taiwan.
Balloons can endanger aviation safety
Since Monday, Taiwan’s military has sighted nine balloons over its territory. Five of them flew over the island. Su said the balloons spotted over Taiwan were similar in size to weather balloons. The one in the USA was larger. However, according to Su, the balloons could endanger aviation safety at the altitude at which they fly.
China continues to intimidate Taiwan and its government. Beijing counts the island as part of its national territory, citing history, and wants reunification, if necessary with military means. The DPP, which is still in office, stands for independence. The upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, in which 19.5 million people are expected to vote, will determine the future relationship between Taipei and Beijing. In addition to the DPP, China-friendly parties such as the Kuomintang are also running.