In recent news, two Chinese balloons were detected flying north of Taiwan, raising concerns as China continues to increase pressure on the self-ruled territory before the upcoming presidential election. The balloons crossed the sensitive Taiwan Strait and were identified about 110 nautical miles northwest of the northern port city of Keelung on Sunday, the island's Defense Ministry reported. This marks the second time this month that Taiwan has reported a Chinese balloon near its territory. There are suspicions that these balloons could potentially have been used for spying, although Taiwan's Defense Ministry did not confirm this.

China's Foreign Ministry did not provide immediate comments on the situation. Amid the increased military presence near the island, Taipei is currently preparing for a presidential election on January 13. The front-runner, current Vice President William Lai of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, has drawn criticism from Beijing for being labeled as a "separatist."

Lai has expressed his desire to maintain peace and the status quo in relations with China. Taiwan split from China in 1949, and Beijing continues to regard the island as Chinese territory. With its high-tech economy, Taiwan has been a target for increasing threats from China to achieve its goal by military force if necessary. The potential for using weather balloons for spying has recently come into focus, as the United States shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean earlier this year, prompting China's strong reaction.