Taiwan detects PLA aircrats, 2 Chinese balloons crossing Median Line

Taipei [Taiwan], December 18 (ANI): Taiwan detected two Chinese balloons across the sensitive median line separating Taiwan from China, the self-ruled island’s Defence Ministry said.

Six People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected by the Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) and from which one entered Taiwan space on Monday, Taiwan Defence Ministry said.

Taking to X, Taiwan Defence Ministry said, “Six PLA aircraft and 2 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. 1 of the detected aircraft (Y-8 ASW)had entered Taiwan’s SW ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and tasked appropriate forces to respond.”

The US drew the median line in the body of water separating Taiwan from China in 1954.

Earlier on Sunday, two Chinese balloons entered Taiwan after crossing a median line of the Taiwan Strait at 9:36 am and 16:35 pm, the Taiwan Defence Ministry said.

Taking to X, the Taiwan Defence Ministry shared, “Two PRC’s balloons were detected yesterday after crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait at the location 110 nautical miles NW of Keelung and altitude of approximately 27,000 feet. The balloons headed east and disappeared at 09:36 and 16:35 respectively.”

Earlier this year, the suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon, before being shot down by the US forces was hovering in the nation’s airspace for a few days.

The balloon passed above US nuclear missile facilities, notably the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana before it was shot down on February 4 after entering American territory on January 28.

However, China has denied the device being used for surveillance purposes. Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the balloon in the US is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological.

“The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes. Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the unintended entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into US Airspace.