TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) in Taiwan reported Friday (March 7) that 11 Chinese balloons were detected over western Taiwan within the past 24 hours. These balloons, according to military experts, primarily serve meteorological or scientific research purposes, collecting atmospheric data.
The MND stated that the balloons moved from 65 nautical miles northwest to 165 nautical miles southwest of Keelung, at altitudes between 17,000 and 24,000 feet, disappearing by 4:50 p.m. Thursday. According to United Daily News, Shu Hsiao-huang (舒孝煌), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR, 國防安全研究院), noted that these balloons are small and have limited payload, making them unsuitable for carrying sophisticated reconnaissance equipment.
Shu further analyzed that their slow speed poses challenges for interception by high-speed fighter jets, and using missiles to shoot them down would be wasteful; thus, monitoring is usually the best option. However, Lin Yu-ying (林穎佑), an assistant professor at Tamkang University (淡江大學), warned that China might use these balloons for cognitive warfare, subtly criticizing Taiwan's military inaction.
Lin suggested that the deployment of these balloons coincides with the last cold front of winter, taking advantage of wind directions before spring alters the patterns around the Taiwan Strait. He dismissed the likelihood of the balloons being used for monitoring long-range rocket exercises, citing drones as a more efficient alternative due to their superior payload, detection equipment, and control capabilities.