The appearance of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the US and Canada is sparking diplomatic tensions between the superpowers. While the US Pentagon suspects that data on the location of nuclear weapons is being collected in this way, China wants nothing to do with such espionage operations.
In the case of the flying object sighted over the northern US, the Chinese government is urging people to keep their cool. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Nin said in Beijing that they wanted to investigate the incident themselves: “We are gathering and checking facts.”
“China is a responsible country. We do not intend to violate the airspace of other countries,” she told CNN. There is no point in speculating or even exaggerating until the facts are on the table.
Nuclear sites scouted?
In the US, however, people seem very confident: “The purpose of the balloon is clearly espionage and its current path leads it through sensitive bases,” a senior US defense official said Friday. The flying object is still over the United States and moved over Malmstrom Air Force Base, where nuclear missiles are stored, among other things.
For now, however, the balloon may not be shot down. The danger of falling parts is simply too great, people on the ground could be in danger, according to top military personnel.
“Undoubtedly Balloon is from China”
“We have no doubt that the balloon comes from China,” he said. Measures have already been taken to protect against the collection of sensitive information. At the same time, however, it was shown with certainty “that this spy balloon has only limited capabilities”. According to the Pentagon, there have been similar cases in the past, but this balloon stayed over the US for an unusually long time.
The sighting, however, carries with it a certain explosiveness, especially in connection with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s upcoming visit to Beijing. This is the first visit by a US Secretary of State since October 2018.
Source: Krone
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