Taiwan reported on Monday that six Chinese balloons had either flown over the island or through airspace just north of it, with Chinese warplanes and navy ships also detected in the area.
The frequency of these balloon sightings, which typically disappear into the Pacific to the east, appears to be increasing, although their purpose has not been publicly disclosed.
The Defense Ministry included the balloon sightings on a list of Chinese People’s Liberation Army activity in the waters and airspace around Taiwan. One balloon passed near the southern city of Pingtung, while the others flew just north of the port of Keelung, where Taiwan has an important naval base.
In addition to the balloons, the Defense Ministry reported the detection of four Chinese warplanes and four navy ships around Taiwan between Sunday and early Monday morning. Taiwan’s military monitored the situation with combat aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems.
While the explicit military function of the balloons remains unclear, they seem to be part of a campaign of harassment against the self-governed island, which China claims as its own territory and has threatened to reclaim by force if necessary.
Prior to Taiwan’s recent presidential election, China had been increasing such activities and rhetorical threats, though these threats are generally seen as backfiring.
In the United States, President Joe Biden pledged to implement stricter rules to track, monitor, and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was discovered transiting much of the country last year.
China has a history of using “gray area tactics” to cause consternation among its foes without sparking a direct confrontation, as observed in the South China Sea. These tactics include the regular deployment of Chinese warships and planes in waters and airspace around Taiwan, often crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan has been governed independently following the seizure of power by Mao Zedong’s Communists on the Chinese mainland.