TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan’s defence ministry strongly criticized Beijing for deploying balloons across the median line that separates Taiwan and China, considering it a “serious threat” to aviation routes and a form of harassment.
Tensions between the two nations have escalated, with China intensifying military and political pressure on Taiwan, including increased fighter jet and naval vessel activities around the self-ruled island.
Since December, Taiwan has reported multiple incidents of Chinese balloons appearing near its airspace, raising concerns about potential risks to international aviation routes. The defence ministry revealed that, based on recent drift paths, these balloons posed a significant threat to the safety of various aviation routes. In response, Taiwan condemned China’s actions, highlighting the disregard for aviation safety.
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The defence ministry released an illustration depicting two Chinese balloons that allegedly crossed the median line, with one directly above the island. It emphasized the “grey zone” harassment tactics employed by China, which fall short of open warfare but aim to influence the morale of Taiwan’s residents through cognitive warfare.
The term “grey zone” refers to aggressive state actions that stop short of overt warfare, reflecting China’s strategic approach in its near-daily displays of military force around Taiwan. The defence ministry called for an immediate halt to this practice to ensure flight safety in the region.
This condemnation comes just a week before Taiwan’s presidential election, a crucial event that will impact the future of the island’s relations with Beijing. Since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, China has severed high-level communications due to Tsai’s refusal to acknowledge Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan. The situation adds an additional layer of complexity to an already tense geopolitical scenario.
