The enormous white sphere that crossed U.S. airspace last week and was shot down by the Air Force over the Atlantic Ocean live on television on Saturday (4) triggered a diplomatic whirlwind and became a trending topic on social media.
The China insists that the balloon was merely a civil dirigible mainly used for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and had only limited “self-direction” capabilities. But it also issued a statement condemning the “exaggeration” of the United States regarding the incident.
After the aircraft was shot down, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement that the use of force by the U.S. was “an obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice.” It added: “China will resolutely defend the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant company while reserving the right to take other actions in response.”
The United States claims that it was undoubtedly a Chinese spy balloon. Its presence led Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a weekend trip to China aimed at easing tensions that were already high between the countries.
The Pentagon stated that the balloon, which carried sensors and surveillance equipment, was maneuverable and showed it could change course. It drifted over sensitive areas in Montana, where nuclear warheads are isolated, prompting the military to take measures to prevent it from collecting information.
U.S. authorities also reported that the balloon was the size of three school buses. The debris from the artifact was collected by the military.Spy Balloons Have a History
Spy balloons are not new. They became more widely used during World War II when Japan launched thousands of hydrogen balloons carrying bombs, and hundreds ended up in the U.S. and Canada. Most were ineffective, but they could be lethal. In May 1945, six civilians died when they encountered one of the balloons on the ground in Oregon, and it exploded.
And to everyone’s surprise, U.S. authorities said that similar Chinese balloons briefly transited through the continental United States at least three times during the Trump administration. But none of those incidents lasted as long as this one.