The US military identified a Chinese spy balloon over the Continental United States late Thursday, according to reports from military officials. This discovery risks further straining the already-fraught international relations between America and China.
Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters that the military had been tracking the balloon for several days and observed it “traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.” The military has urged President Joe Biden not to shoot the balloon down for fear that the debris could harm people on the ground.
Military Says This Isn’t New
Bizarrely, the US says that this isn’t anything new. Officials have warned the president about the potential for Chinese espionage for years. “We are confident that this high-altitude surveillance balloon belongs to the [People’s Republic of China],” an official speaking on behalf of the Pentagon stated. “Instances of this activity have been observed over the past several years, including prior to this administration.”
Moreover, the military says it feels the balloon poses little “intelligence-gathering” risk. Still, the official added, the military is “taking steps nevertheless to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information. We are also tracking what abilities it could have in gaining insights, and continue to monitor the balloon as it was over the continental United States.”
China Claims Balloon Is a Civilian Craft
China, meanwhile, says the balloon is actually a civilian weather balloon that has been blown off course. This explanation doesn’t sit well with US intelligence officers, though. The timing of the balloon’s appearance is too bizarre. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had planned a visit to Beijing soon, but the appearance of this alleged spy balloon puts a damper on these plans and caused Blinken to postpone the trip.
The US says the actual information-gathering potential of the balloon isn’t really the issue here. There are spy satellites that are capable of gathering far more information than a conspicuous balloon. However, it’s the “audacity” of Beijing brazenly sending an espionage vessel that has incensed Washington and escalated tensions between the two sides.
China is trying to downplay the severity of this incident, with Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning telling reporters, “China is a responsible country. We act in accordance with international law. We have no intention in [sic] violating other countries’ airspace. We hope relevant parties would handle the matter in a cool-headed way.”
