TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese balloon on Thursday (Feb. 16) crashed on an Army base on one of Taiwan's frontline islands in Lienchiang County.

In a press release, the Army's Dongyin Area Command said an unidentified object was seen falling over Dongyin Island at about 11 a.m. After conducting a search, they found the remains of a balloon on the Dongyin Shooting Range that was about one meter in diameter and carrying devices that were marked with the simplified Chinese which read "Taiyuan No. 1 Radio Factory Co., Ltd.," "GTS13 Digital Radiosonde," and "Meteorological Instrument."

The Army said the preliminary assessment is that the device attached to the balloon was used for meteorological measurements. It added the equipment has been sent to relevant departments for further identification and analysis.

The Army emphasized that it has ordered all units to strengthen base patrols, continue to use intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance methods, and monitor movements in the surrounding area.

Under "industry" on an online listing of the Taiyuan No. 1 Radio Factory Co., which is based in China's Shanxi Province Taiyuan City, it is described as a manufacturer of "special instruments for navigation, surveying, meteorology, and oceanography." In the description of the company's products and services, it states that it provides "Research and development, design, manufacture, sales, repair and technical services of meteorological instruments, meteorological equipment and radio complete sets; manufacture and sale of household appliances; manufacture and repair of transformers; house leasing; property management; parking lot services."