Chinese rocket carrying satellite passes over south Taiwan, poses no threat

A Chinese rocket carrying a satellite passed over south Taiwan on Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defence (MND) said, Central News Agency (CNA) reported. However, Taiwan's MND noted that the rocket posed no threat to the country.

The Chinese rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China's Sichuan at 3 pm (local time), CNA reported. According to Taiwan's MND, the rocket had already left Earth's atmosphere when it passed over Taiwan.

Taiwan's MND said it had been closely monitoring the launch and tracking the real-time information through the intelligence and surveillance systems. It had alerted the people about the imminent launch on Friday, according to CNA report.

 

Earlier on January 9, Taiwanese security forces issued a nationwide air raid alert after a Chinese satellite flew over its southern airspace on Tuesday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defence (MND) said.

Taiwan's MND stated that the armed forces' joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system are closely monitoring the situation, including the launch and trajectory of the satellite.

Taking to its official handle on X, the Taiwanese Defence Ministry posted, "The air raid alert system was activated in the form of text messages to inform the public. The default English message was not revised and therefore incorrectly stated the launch vehicle as "missile." The MND extends an apology for any confusion this may have caused."

"On 1503 hr today, the PRC conducted a satellite launch. The trajectory unexpectedly flew over and went exoatmospheric when the vehicle was above Taiwan's southern airspace," it added.

The development was significant as it came just days ahead of Taiwan's presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13. China has described the upcoming elections as a choice between "war and peace."

On December 31, Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted that Taiwan would be reunified with China, Fox News reported. Xi has repeatedly affirmed China's stance that Taiwan is a part of China and that it must be reunified, by force if necessary.

"All Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Xi said in his address on December 31.

"The motherland will surely be reunified," he added.

The speech was the second time in a matter of days that Xi spoke over the Taiwan issue. Xi also pledged to reunify Taiwan during a symposium in Beijing on December 26, commemorating the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist China.

"The complete reunification of the motherland is an irresistible trend," Xi said at the event, adding that China would "resolutely prevent anyone from splitting" the two sides.

Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has long been a contentious issue in China's foreign policy. Despite never having governed Taiwan, China continues to assert its sovereignty over the region, considers it a part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.