China flies balloon close to Taiwan, Taipei says

Summary

Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported spotting a Chinese balloon over waters north of the island, the first such incident since April.

The balloon, seen Sunday near Keelung port, flew at 33,000 feet for two hours before disappearing. Additionally, 12 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships were detected near Taiwan.

Taipei perceives such balloons as “grey-zone” harassment, a maneuver that falls short of an act of war, as it approaches its January elections. In contrast, Beijing refutes the spying claims, asserting that they are merely meteorological devices.

Tensions persist as Taiwan accuses China of escalating pressure, amid ongoing U.S. military support for the island.