The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today said a satellite launched by China last night that flew over Taiwan posed no threat due to its altitude.
In a news release, the ministry said the satellite was launched at 11:55pm yesterday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, also known as the Xichang Space Center, in China's Sichuan Province.
The satellite flew over central Taiwan and toward the western Pacific Ocean, the ministry added.
Photo courtesy of the China News Service
However, as the satellite flew beyond the Earth's atmosphere, it said the launch posed no threat to Taiwan.
The MND added that it would continue to monitor threats with its C4ISR systems and remain ready to respond should any arise.
Meanwhile, the MND said as of 6am today, it had detected 20 Chinese aircraft and seven vessels operating around Taiwan over the past 24 hours.
Twelve of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern air defense identification zones, it said.
Taiwan’s armed forces have “monitored the situation and employed [patrol] aircraft, navy vessels and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities,” it added.
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