The Pentagon confirmed that it is tracking a balloon that has entered US airspace, believed to be of Chinese origin. Despite being watched since its entry, the balloon was not shot down for safety reasons. The balloon is flying at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not pose a physical threat to the people on the ground. The US government has taken measures to prevent the collection of sensitive information, however, it is unclear if the balloon is gathering intelligence. The Canadian national defense department also reported the detection of a high-altitude surveillance balloon and is monitoring a potential second incident.
China has not confirmed ownership of the balloon and state-backed media used the incident to criticize the US, with one newspaper claiming that the US’s air defense system is not to be trusted. Meanwhile, China Daily dismissed the spy balloon claims as a lie. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they are verifying the situation and expressed their hope to handle the matter calmly with the US.
The timing of the balloon incident is noteworthy, as it coincides with the expected visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China to meet President Xi Jinping. Tensions are already high between the two countries, as Beijing has expressed strong objections to the deal between the Philippines and the US which grants the US expanded access to Philippine military bases.
Despite the controversy surrounding the balloon, military experts believe that the use of high-altitude balloons for surveillance purposes is likely to increase due to their cost-effectiveness and difficulty to detect by radar. This incident highlights the need for continued vigilance and security measures to protect against foreign intelligence threats.
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