Taiwan slams Chinese balloons, cites safety threat, calls it 'psychological warfare'

Taiwan's defence ministry accused China on Saturday of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island nation's people with a recent spate of balloons spotted near or over the island, days before crucial Taiwanese elections. The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue in February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray. Taiwan is on high alert for Chinese military and political activity ahead of the January 13 presidential and parliamentary elections. It says…