Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported three Chinese hot air balloons flying over the island of Taiwan and near a key airbase on Tuesday, according to Reuters. The incident raised concerns among local authorities that China could use the balloons for military espionage purposes.

In February 2023, the issue of Chinese spy balloons came into the global spotlight when the United States shot down what it claimed was a Chinese spy balloon. China, in turn, argued that it was a civilian balloon that was accidentally blown over by the wind.

In light of Taiwan's upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13, the island is on high alert for possible Chinese actions, both military and political. China continues to view Taiwan as its territory.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense has reported several incidents of Chinese hot air balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait and disappearing in various locations. However, the ministry has previously said that they are intended primarily for weather monitoring.

According to the latest data, four balloons were detected, three of which flew through the center of the island, passing respectively 105, 160 and 159 nautical miles (194, 296 and 295 kilometers) southwest of Ching Chuan Kang Air Force Base.

The ministry said it is "closely monitoring and responding appropriately" to the balloons, collecting information about their route for "assessment and analysis." The question of whether these balloons were meteorological or used for other purposes remains open.