Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported the sighting of a Chinese military surveillance balloon in the Taiwan Strait, accompanied by a significant deployment of military aircraft and ships. The balloon, flying at an altitude of 6,400 meters, passed southwest of Keelung before possibly disappearing into the Pacific Ocean. The Ministry detected 26 Chinese military aircraft and 10 navy ships in the 24 hours preceding Friday. Taiwan’s military monitored the situation with combat aircraft, navy vessels, and missile systems. Incursions like these are routine, signaling China’s threat to annex Taiwan and impacting the island’s defense capabilities and morale.