TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The White House on Thursday (Jan. 4) urged against China's interference in the upcoming Taiwanese presidential election as the 10th Chinese balloon of the year was detected in the Taiwan Strait.
During a press briefing, the media cited the Ministry of Nationa Defense (MND) as saying several Chinese balloons had been tracked over Taiwan and asked for the White House's reaction and whether it had concerns about election interference. National security spokesperson John Kirby said he could not confirm balloon reports over Taiwan and referred the reporter to officials in Taiwan and China over the matter.
Regarding election interference, Kirby said the Biden administration supports Taiwan's democracy and democratic institutions "and we want to see free, fair, open, transparent elections there." He said that the White House is aware that "outside actors could interfere."
Kirby said that the administration urges "anyone outside Taiwan not to interfere in — in their ability to have a free, fair democratic election."
In an interview with VOA released on Thursday, Kirby was asked whether he could confirm allegations by the Taiwanese government that China has been interfering in the election through means such as spreading disinformation and bribing Taiwanese officials with travel and money. Kirby said that he could not confirm the allegations but emphasized that "we don't want any other actor, be it a nation-state or otherwise, to interfere in this election."
When asked for the White House's message to Beijing amid its sending of fighter jets, navy ships, and balloons around Taiwan before the election, Kirby said the following:
"Again, it's important that as the people of Taiwan go to the polls to cast their ballots, that they can do so with a feeling of safety and security and comfort in the knowledge that their vote matters, and that it's going to be appropriately tallied. And that's really what we're focused on. That's what we want to see happen."
The MND on Friday (Jan. 5) reported one more Chinese balloon had been detected in the Taiwan Strait, bringing the total to 10 since Monday (Jan. 1). The ministry said the Chinese balloon was detected at 6:59 a.m. on Thursday crossing the median line.
It was detected 162 km (88 NM) northwest of Hsinchu at an altitude of approximately 7,300 m (24,000 ft). It headed northeast and disappeared at 9:43 a.m. on Thursday.
The MND also said eight People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and four naval ships were tracked around Taiwan from 6 a.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, of which one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane and one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane entered the southwest air defense identification zone.
Flight paths of Chinese aircraft and balloon in ADIZ from Thursday to Friday. (MND image)