Taiwan’s defense ministry condemned China, Saturday January 6, for sending balloons above the median line which separates the autonomous island from mainland China. For Taiwan, this is a “serious threat” for air connections and a form of harassment.
China, which considers Taiwan an integral part of its territory, has vowed to one day bring the island back into its fold, using force if necessary. Beijing has stepped up its military and political pressure in recent years by sending unprecedented numbers of fighter jets and warships around the island.
In December, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry began reporting the appearance of Chinese balloons around Taiwan, noting at least four incidents in which they flew directly over the island. “Due to their recent trajectory, [les ballons] constitute a serious threat to the security of many international air routes”declared the Ministry of Defense, in a press release condemning the “China’s contempt for aviation safety”.
Presidential election in a week
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense also releasedon Saturday, an illustration showing two Chinese balloons that he said had crossed the center line the day before, including one directly above the island. “ [Le] main objective of the recent balloon detection is harassment of [type] “gray zone” with the aim of using cognitive warfare to affect the morale of our people”adds the press release.
“Grey zone” tactics refer to aggressive actions taken by a state that refrains from open war. Many experts believe that this is what China is doing to Taiwan with its almost daily displays of military force around the island.
“We call for an immediate end to this practice to ensure flight safety in the region”, wrote the Taiwanese defense ministry. This declaration comes a week before the presidential election in Taiwan, decisive for the future of the island’s relations with Beijing depending on the choice of voters. Since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, China has cut off all high-level communication with her government as Mme Tsai does not recognize Beijing’s sovereignty over the island.