Taiwan issues alert after China satellite launch, closely monitors Chinese balloons

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu’s news conference was interrupted by an island-wide emergency alert on Tuesday, which stated that a Chinese satellite had flown over southern Taiwan’s airspace. Wu informed reporters that “a satellite carried by a rocket” had flown over the southern part of Taiwan, but said he had no further information. At a separate news conference, Taiwan’s defence ministry said that it will closely monitor Chinese balloons that “threaten” aviation safety, with no plans to shoot them down currently. According to officials, four Chinese balloons were spotted over the Taiwan Strait the prior day, two of which crossed over Taiwan.