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Is Beijing trying to create ‘new status quo’ by sending balloons over Taiwan?
- Island’s defence ministry says 16 balloons have crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait since Friday
- Taipei analysts say it’s part of an effort to eliminate the de facto boundary and squeeze Taiwan’s air space
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Lawrence Chungin Taipei
The passage of a growing number of balloons from mainland China over Taiwan suggests Beijing is doubling down on efforts to deny the island jurisdiction over its airspace and deny the de facto boundary between them, according to Taipei-based analysts.
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The Taiwanese defence ministry said that since Lunar New Year’s Eve on Friday, 16 balloons from the mainland had crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait, a notional midway point between self-governed Taiwan and mainland China.
A record eight balloons crossed the line on Friday, the highest number detected since the ministry started issuing notifications of balloon sightings on December 8.
The crossovers were followed by another eight detected at the start of the Lunar New Year on Saturday, bringing the total to 83.
Of the 16, seven were detected flying directly over central Taiwan and one over northern Taiwan at altitudes ranging from 12,000 feet to 35,000 feet (3,660 metres to 10,670 metres), according to the ministry.
Beijing has repeatedly sent warplanes over the median line in the past two years and on February 1 changed a civilian flight path close to the line in a move seen as a bid to squeeze the air space controlled by Taipei.
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