The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced Tuesday that it had activated the air threat warning system following after Chinese rockets launching satellites reportedly passed through its airspace.
Tuesday’s press release stated that the Communist Party of China (CCP) launched satellites using a Long March series carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan. This rocket passed over the southern part of an unspecified Taiwanese island without prior warning, flying outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Taiwan’s army reportedly utilized the Joint Intelligence Monitoring and Reconnaissance System to monitor the rocket’s trajectory. They subsequently activated the air threat warning system, notifying the public to remain vigilant through text messages. However, the press release informed that oversight occurred as the English language portion of the messages incorrectly referred to the launched object as a “missile” rather than a satellite. As a result, the Ministry of National Defense issued an apology for the error.
On Saturday, the MND issued a press release in response to the flight of the CCP’s airborne balloons over Taiwan, emphasizing the serious threat posed to international waterways. The MND expressed concern over the lack of consideration for flight safety and the potential risk to passengers on both sides of the strait. The ministry called for an immediate end to such practices and urged the Taiwanese public to recognize the CCP’s cognitive combat methods, respond rationally, and avoid being unduly influenced by them.
A Chinese balloon flying over US airspace in March 2023, which was subsequently shot down, sparked international controversy. The US claimed it was a spy balloon, while China insisted it was a civilian research balloon that went off course. US Secretary of State Blinken cancelled a Beijing trip as a result, citing a violation of sovereignty and international law. China accused the US of overreacting and violating international practice, vowing to protect its interests.
