Suspected Chinese balloon flies directly over Taiwan

A high-altitude balloon launched from China's east coast on New Year's Day cut across central Taiwan by flying directly through the island's national airspace, Taipei said on Tuesday.

A map published by Taiwan's Defense Ministry showed the approximate flight paths of two craft, which were launched into the Taiwan Strait, heading in a northeasterly direction, before disappearing either side of midnight on January 1.

The Communist Party leadership in Beijing claims Taiwan is part of historic Chinese territory and is to be unified with the mainland, despite Taipei's objections.