Three Chinese balloons float near Taiwanese airbase

Taiwan’s defense ministry reported four Chinese balloons traversing the Taiwan Strait, three crossing over land near Ching-Chuan-Kang air base at 12–23 km altitude, accompanied by PLA aircraft and PLAN vessels with two aircraft entering Taiwanese airspace; while balloons are often detected, overflight of land is unusual, and the sightings occurred shortly before Taiwan’s Jan 13 elections amid Beijing’s escalating reunification rhetoric.