China's mysterious balloons over Taiwan hint at psychological warfare, officials warn

This is the second consecutive time Taiwan has reported the sighting of eight balloons originating from China, six of which crossed the airspace directly above the island. The altitudes at which these balloons travelled varied from approximately 3,600 to 10,500 metres. The Taiwanese Defence Ministry shared this information on Sunday.

The day before, the Taiwanese Defence Department also logged the presence of eight Chinese balloons. This is the highest number of balloons in the island's vicinity since the Ministry began its routine data publication in December.

The exact purpose of these balloons remains unclear. The authorities in Taipei suspect that these balloon flights are part of a psychological warfare campaign that Beijing is staging to intimidate the island's inhabitants; China, after all, views Taiwan as its territory.

The Taiwanese Defence Ministry has responded with the assurance that they are keeping a close eye on the situation and will respond as deemed appropriate.

Almost a year ago, the American armed forces shot down a Chinese balloon that was passing over United States airspace. Washington subsequently accused China of conducting a spying mission. Beijing, however, dismissed these allegations, maintaining that the balloon was merely gathering meteorological data.

In June 2023, the US Department of Defense issued a statement clarifying that the balloon was likely not used for data collection.