Taiwan detects eight Chinese balloons for second straight day

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1707618326705.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Taiwanese Air Force pilots walk inside an airbase during the visit of President Tsai Ing-wen (not pictured) in Hsinchu, Taiwan on April 1, 2022. Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA-EFE/File</span></span></span></div><p>TAIPEI — Eight Chinese balloons were detected around Taiwan for the second straight day, with five flying directly over the island, Taipei&#x27;s defense ministry said Sunday.</p><p>The ministry said the balloons were spotted on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, at an altitude of 12,000 to 35,000 feet.</p><p>Five of the balloons flew directly over the island, and one grazed its northern tip, according to a map released by the ministry.</p><p>China claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has not renounced the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/10/taiwan-detects-record-high-8-chinese-balloons-1641">Taiwan detects record-high 8 Chinese balloons</a></div><p>Beijing has ramped up military pressure in recent years, and deploys warplanes and naval vessels around the island on a nearly daily basis, with balloons also increasingly flying over the island.</p><p>A batch of eight balloons were also detected on Friday, the highest number since the defence ministry started regularly releasing data on balloon sightings in December.</p><p>In February last year, Taiwan&#x27;s military alerted aviation authorities after spotting a balloon floating in the island&#x27;s airspace but did not say where the balloon came from or provide a detailed location.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/7/taiwan-halts-tourist-groups-to-china-after-flight-path-change-2214">Taiwan halts tourist groups to China after flight path change</a></div><p>The latest balloon sightings came after Taiwan&#x27;s presidential election last month, which was won by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party&#x27;s Lai Ching-te, who Beijing regards as a &quot;separatist&quot;.</p><p>China warned ahead of the vote that a win by Lai would bring &quot;war and decline&quot; to Taiwan.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/01/15/24/whats-next-for-taiwan-after-the-election">What&#x27;s next for Taiwan after the election?</a></div><p>It did not, however, send a major contingent of warplanes and naval vessels in the election&#x27;s immediate aftermath.</p><p>Since the January 13 vote, the largest incursions included 33 Chinese warplanes detected around Taiwan, according to Taipei.</p><p>The largest number of warplanes China has sent during a 24-hour window came in September, when Taiwan recorded 103 Chinese aircraft around the island.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>The ministry said the balloons were spotted on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, at an altitude of 12,000 to 35,000 feet.</p>

The ministry said the balloons were spotted on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, at an altitude of 12,000 to 35,000 feet.

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Taiwan detects eight Chinese balloons for second straight day

Taiwan detects eight Chinese balloons for second straight day

Agence France-Presse

Published Feb 11, 2024 10:26 AM PHT

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