This huge balloon from China has been progressing over the United States for several days but cannot be destroyed without risk according to Washington.
“That’s the Moon, but that thing, what is it?” Asks a resident of Montana (United States) in a video. Like others, he observed an unusual white patch in the American sky on Wednesday. US authorities said on Thursday it was a Chinese spy balloon flying over the country, which China denies. Beijing, however, acknowledged Friday evening that the device came from China.
This situation has greatly strained relations between the two countries.
· What is this balloon?
The craft in question looks like a big white balloon. US intelligence refuses to give its size, but according to information from CNNit would be the size of three buses.
It is located about 18km above the ground, said Defense Department press secretary Patrick Ryder Friday evening in a press conference. He repeated that the balloon had “violated American airspace and international laws”. However, this balloon remains “well above commercial air traffic and does not pose a threat to civil aviation.”
The balloon flew over the Aleutian Islands in the northern Pacific Ocean, then crossed Canadian airspace to the United States, where it flew over the state of Montana. He continued his race and is still currently above the United States explained the American official, refusing however to say where this machine was precisely.
In report released Thursday, the US Department of Defense speaks of a “surveillance balloon”, without giving more information on the reasons that lead to this conclusion. It is therefore clearly, on the American side, a spy balloon sent by China to monitor the United States.
China assured Friday evening that it was “a civil aircraft used for research purposes, mainly meteorological”, from China. “Affected by the Westerlies (West Winds, editor’s note) and with limited self-steering capability, the aircraft deviated far from its planned path”, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement..
Another balloon was also reported on Friday over Canada, but very little information was given about it, and China was not named. “Canadians are safe” mainly ensured Ottawa.
· What danger for the United States?
Chinese authorities are “clearly trying to fly this balloon over sensitive sites to gather information,” the US Department of Defense said.
However, the machine does not represent, according to the American authorities, a danger for civilians for the moment, as for the military. According to their declarations, this means would not allow China to obtain more information than it would already have thanks to its satellites for example. However, he remains closely monitored at all times.
This device can “watch our mobile phone exchanges, our radio exchanges, the government command and control networks”, detailed on BFMTV Cédric Leighton, military analyst.
But “there is also what is called the nuclear triad, made up of bombers, missiles and submarines. Two parts of this triad are directly in the trajectory of this Chinese balloon,” he adds.
· Why was the device not destroyed?
“We are looking at possible options,” Patrick Ryder said Friday night, saying he couldn’t say more on the subject. The Department of Defense report explains that there was talk in the early hours of destroying the balloon.
But “we assessed that the risk of bringing it down – even if the probability was low in a sparsely populated area that the debris would fall and injure someone or damage property – was not worth it.”
“We nevertheless take steps to protect ourselves against the collection of sensitive information by foreign intelligence,” is it specified.
· What does China say?
At first, China did not recognize that the ball came from its soil, explaining that it wanted to “verify” information first. “As for the ball, we are reviewing and verifying the situation, and hope the two parties can handle this situation together, calmly, and carefully,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday. morning.
“China is a responsible country and has always strictly adhered to international laws. We have no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country,” she added.
In the evening, however, the Chinese government acknowledged that the balloon came from China, but denied that it was a spy balloon. China “regrets the involuntary entry of the aircraft into American airspace, a case of force majeure”, assured Beijing.
The US State Department for its part summoned Xu Xueyuan, a senior Chinese government official in Washington, “to deliver a very clear and unequivocal message”, explains a source to CNN. This same message was also sent to the upper echelons of Beijing, writes the American media.
· Is this the first time?
In the account of the American authorities, it is pointed out that “this is not the first time that a balloon of this nature has flown over the continental United States. It has happened a handful of other times during years, including before this administration”. The American authorities, however, refuse to say more about these precedents.
But this time the ball “seems to stick around for a long time, longer than in previous cases. So that would be a distinguishing factor.”
General Jérôme Pellistrandi, defense consultant for BFMTV, confirms that it would not be the first time that a balloon has been used for military purposes: this means “has always been used, it is used more and more: it is both sophisticated but relatively simple to implement and it is extremely effective.”
· What are the diplomatic consequences between the two countries?
This incident comes as the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken was to go to Beijing on Sunday and Monday. The trip has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled when “the conditions are met”, explained Patrick Ryder, while saying he was “confident” in the ability of the United States to maintain dialogue with Beijing.
Antony Blinken’s visit to China would have been the first by a US secretary of state since October 2018, as the two superpowers seek to prevent the heightened tensions between them from escalating into open conflict.
Among the many contentious issues are Taiwan, which China claims as an integral part of its territory, and Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea.
