More Chinese balloons fly over Taiwan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – More Chinese balloons flew past skies over Taiwan as the island nation prepares for presidential elections scheduled for Jan. 13.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday it detected four Chinese balloons three of which flew over the island. It is the second time that Chinese balloons have flown across Taiwan's mass land.

“Four PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) balloons were detected yesterday (Tuesday) after crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait,” said the ministry on Wednesday.

The altitude of the balloons varied between 3657.6 and 7315.2 meters.

It said the balloons headed northeast of Taiwan and “sequentially disappeared” Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry said it also detected nine Chinese aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan on Wednesday.

Two of the Chinese aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s north and southwest air defense identification zone.

China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, does not recognize the median line or the air defense zone. Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949.