The Pentagon said on Thursday that the “relatively large” balloon was being closely monitored. He entered US airspace a few days ago and is moving over the north-west of the country. The goal is clear: espionage.
An unnamed Washington Department of Defense official was quoted in US media as saying the balloon’s current path takes it “over sensitive bases,” including air force bases and underground missile sites. His route had long been followed by the US Army. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, around 150 ICBMs armed with nuclear warheads are stored at a base in Montana.
USA are sure
The anonymous Pentagon source also assured that there was “no doubt” that the balloon came from China. And further: “We are taking measures to protect ourselves against the collection of sensitive information.” However, according to the Pentagon, the danger is currently not particularly great. “We have come to the conclusion that this spy-face balloon has limited capabilities.” It provides little, if any, better information than low-Earth satellites can, CNN said.
According to media reports, after the discovery of the balloon, US President Joe Biden ordered that a possible launch be examined. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and top military officials ultimately decided against it because too many people on the ground could be endangered if shot down by the falling parts. “In our estimation, it is so large that its debris could cause damage.” According to CNN, the balloon is the size of three buses. The balloon is not the first to appear over the United States, it said.
Fighter jets cleared up object
Fighter jets approached the balloon over the state of Montana in order to be able to provide the military command with information about it. Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, spokesman for the Pentagon, recently confirmed that the alleged spy balloon is still in US airspace. He flies “well” above the level of civilian air traffic and “poses no military or physical danger to people on the ground”.
According to media reports, the anonymous voice from the Pentagon said that China had already been contacted about the incident and Beijing had been made aware of “the seriousness of the incident”. “We have made it clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect our people and our country.”
Beijing promises to examine the cause
A reaction from Beijing on Friday said that the Chinese government was investigating the reports about the balloon, but warned against hasty speculation. “We are collecting and checking the facts,” State Department spokeswoman Mao Ning told the press. “We hope that both sides will treat the matter with a cool head.” It is not helpful to speculate or to exaggerate the matter until it is clear what happened. China has no interest in violating international law.
Spy balloon in the USA
A suspicious balloon has been spotted in the sky in the United States. The Department of Defense in Washington assumes that China wants to use it to spy on nuclear weapons bases.
Canada also reports “incident” without details
In addition to the United States and the first media reports about the balloon, neighboring Canada reported a “possible second incident” in connection with a surveillance balloon on Friday – but without being specific. Just this much: Ottawa is working with Washington to monitor the alleged intruder, and his “movements are being actively tracked,” according to the Canadian Department of Defense. In addition, everything will be done to ensure the safety of the airspace, “including the review of a possible second incident,” it said.
China not mentioned
What this “second incident” is said to have been was not yet clear from the media reports on Friday morning. According to the BBC, the balloon had flown over Canadian territory – Canada borders Montana – before emerging over the sparsely populated “Mountain State” and fourth-largest US state on Wednesday. China was not mentioned in the official Canadian statement.
Tricky timing
If the balloon actually comes from the People’s Republic, then it actually comes at an inopportune time. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected in Beijing on Sunday. His visit to China is the first by a US Secretary of State since 2018. Relations between the two countries are strained for a number of reasons.
Points of contention include China’s at least silent backing for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, its threats against Taiwan, Beijing’s disputed claims in the South China Sea, the trade war with Washington, and US high-tech export controls. China accuses the US of blocking its rise to economic and geopolitical superpower and wanting to start a new Cold War.
