<p>Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected six more Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, one of which crossed the island, the latest in a spate of such balloons the ministry says it has seen over the past month-and-a-half.</p>

<p>The ministry earlier this month, in a strongly worded statement, accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island's people with the balloons, days before Taiwan's Jan&nbsp;13 elections.</p>

<p>China's defence ministry, which last month declined to comment on the balloons, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei.</p>

<p>The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue last February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.</p>

<p>In the latest incident, revealed by the ministry on Monday in its daily report on Chinese military activities over the past 24 hours, it said six balloons had flown over the strait's sensitive median line on Sunday.</p>

<p>However, only one crossed Taiwan island, at its southern tip, according to a map the ministry provided.</p>

<p>The other five balloons flew to the north of Taiwan but did not fly over land, the ministry said.</p>

<p>All the balloons headed east before vanishing, it added.</p>

<p>The Taiwan Strait's median line previously served as an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and China, but Chinese fighter jets, drones and now balloons regularly fly over it.</p>

<p>China says it does not recognise the existence of the median line.</p>


Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected six more Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, one of which crossed the island, the latest in a spate of such balloons the ministry says it has seen over the past month-and-a-half.

Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected six more Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, one of which crossed the island, the latest in a spate of such balloons the ministry says it has seen over the past month-and-a-half. The ministry earlier this month, in a strongly worded statement, accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island's people with the balloons, days before Taiwan's Jan 13 elections. China's defence ministry, which last month declined to comment on the balloons, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei. The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue last February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray. In the latest incident, revealed by the ministry on Monday in its daily report on Chinese military activities over the past 24 hours, it said six balloons had flown over the strait's sensitive median line on Sunday. However, only one crossed Taiwan island, at its southern tip, according to a map the ministry provided. The other five balloons flew to the north of Taiwan but did not fly over land, the ministry said. All the balloons headed east before vanishing, it added. The Taiwan Strait's median line previously served as an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and China, but Chinese fighter jets, drones and now balloons regularly fly over it. China says it does not recognise the existence of the median line.

Taiwan says it spotted six more Chinese balloons, one crossed island

<p>With candidates in Taiwan gearing up for the key elections which are now just a day away, China has ramped up the pressure by literally looming over the self-governing island. This is in addition to the remarks from Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping who in his New Year’s address called China’s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-taiwan-elections-2024-beyond-xi-jinpings-unification-threat-679049">“reunification”</a> with Taiwan inevitable.</p>

<p>Over the past few days, China has made several remarks going as far as warning voters in Taiwan to make the “right choice” which includes not supporting the current presidential frontrunner and candidate from the self-governing island’s ruling party, Lai Ching-te.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese ‘spy’ balloons spotted over Taiwan</strong></h2>

<p>Since last month, the Taiwanese defence ministry has reported a spate of Chinese balloons not only flying over Taiwan but also crossing the narrow Taiwan Strait which separates the island from mainland China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Tuesday (Jan 9), Taiwan’s defence ministry said that it spotted four Chinese balloons over the Taiwan Strait the day prior, two of which crossed the Taiwan Strait.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This was the day after Taiwanese officials said they detected <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-spots-more-chinese-balloons-over-strait-accuses-beijing-of-psychological-warfare-ahead-of-elections-677750">three Chinese balloons</a> flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amid the rise of such incidents, Taiwan accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island’s people ahead of its presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday (Jan 13).&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the Taiwanese defence ministry has not directly said that the balloons are being used for spying. Officials have also said that so far they have not recovered any remains of the balloons and were not considering shooting them down, at least for now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The possibility that China could be using balloons for spying became a global issue last February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. However, Beijing has since said that the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-navy-says-seized-oil-tanker-off-oman-679038">Iran navy says seized oil tanker in Gulf of Oman</a></strong></p>

<p>China has long flexed its military muscle against Taiwan by sending fighter jets, reconnaissance drones and naval ships almost daily. In April 2023, China conducted three-day military drills on the Taiwan Strait and by the end of it, released&nbsp;a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-releases-simulation-clip-of-how-it-will-attack-taiwan-if-war-breaks-out-watch-581302">simulation video</a> showing how it could launch a full-scale attack against the island if war ever breaks out.</p>

<p>Since December, the island’s defence ministry has been reporting at least 20 of mysterious balloons some of which have crossed the Taiwan Strait. These incidents prompted the Taiwanese ministry to issue a strongly worded statement on Saturday (Jan 6), condemning China’s actions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We also express our condemnation of the Chinese communists’ disregard for aviation safety and its disregard for the safety of passengers on cross-Taiwan Strait and international flights.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ministry said that its analysis of these actions was that the balloons were part of China’s “grey zone” tactics against Taiwan “in an attempt to use cognitive warfare to affect the morale of our people.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Similarly, some experts believe that Beijing is trying to influence Taiwan’s elections by using these balloons. “They’re using various different tactics to threaten Taiwan and to put pressure on (President Tsai Ing-wen’s) administration,” Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project told VOA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Raymond Kuo, director of the RAND Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative told AFP that the balloons’ military purpose is in line with “China’s gray zone coercion strategy towards Taiwan.” He added, “Beijing is signalling that it can violate Taiwanese airspace at will and challenge its sovereignty.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kuo also believes that China’s balloon tactic might backfire and these incidents could push Taiwan to form closer security relations with the United States and other countries in Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taiwan’s government also issued an air raid alert on Tuesday (Jan 9), saying a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite had flown over its southern airspace. Taiwan’s foreign minister described the incident as part of a pattern of harassment before the elections.</p>

<h2><strong>‘War and peace’</strong></h2>

<p>China has not only used its balloons in a bid to potentially influence the Taiwanese elections but also <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-pro-china-disinformation-targets-voters-with-deepfakes-and-manipulative-videos-678779">disinformation</a> and words to sway the voters. While Xi struck a stronger tone than he did last year with his New Year’s address, calling Taiwan’s “reunification” with China, he did not mention the elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Zhang Zhijun, head of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, a quasi-official body that handles ties with Taiwan, during his New Year’s address said the Taiwanese people had an important choice to make during the upcoming election.</p>

<p>“The two elections coming up in the Taiwan region are important choices between the prospects for peace and war, prosperity and decline,” said the senior Chinese official.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “Taiwan compatriots must stand on the right side of history, and make a correct choice to promote cross-strait relations back to the right track of peaceful development.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Taiwan Presidential elections: China warns voters to make correct choice in elections</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-presidential-elections-china-warns-voters-to-make-correct-choice-in-elections-679193/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Both China and the US are closely watching the elections since the result is expected to impact the future of Taiwan’s relations with Beijing.&nbsp;But China has reportedly been more involved.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some experts and Taiwanese authorities have said that the election campaign has been hit by a wave of disinformation and TikTok videos, which are particularly aimed at candidates China opposes.</p>

<p>While China has not explicitly supported any candidate, Beijing and Taiwan’s largest opposition party, &nbsp;the Kuomintang (KMT), have warned that Lai poses a “severe danger” to cross-Strait relations.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-using-ai-anchors-to-influence-taiwan-elections-679111">Gravitas: China using AI anchors to influence Taiwan Elections</a></strong></p>

<p>“I sincerely hope the majority of Taiwan compatriots recognize the extreme harm of the DPP’s (Democratic Progressive Party) ‘Taiwan independence’ line and the extreme danger of Lai Ching-te’s triggering of cross-Strait confrontation and conflict, and to make the right choice at the crossroads of cross-Strait relations,” said China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It added, “If he comes to power, he will further push for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities (and create) turbulence in the Taiwan Strait.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>A report by AFP detailed how one Chinese hashtag criticising Lai received over 8.5 million views. The report added that replies to such posts and videos criticising the DPP were filled with derogatory remarks and conspiracy theories. &nbsp;</p>

<p>On Thursday (Jan 11), Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised China’s “repeated interference” in the upcoming elections and slammed Beijing for “once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community”.</p>

<p>It added, “Taiwan’s elections are in the international spotlight &amp; PRC’s repeated interference steals the focus. Frankly, Beijing should stop messing with other countries’ elections &amp; hold their own. Let the #Chinese people freely choose their leaders.”</p>

<p>According to experts, the flow of disinformation demonstrates a Beijing-linked effort to undermine any lawmakers who oppose Taiwan’s status as a part of China. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The incumbent Vice President Lai, recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference.</p>

<p>“In addition to political and military pressure, it is also using economic means, cognitive warfare, disinformation, threats and incentives,” he told reporters, on Tuesday (Jan 9). “It has resorted to all means to interfere with this election.”</p>

<h2><strong>Meanwhile in Taiwan…</strong></h2>

<p>Recent opinion polls show most Taiwanese support Lai while the rest are split between KMT’s Hou Yu-ih and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party. It is safe to say that Beijing is not happy, as it wants the ruling DPP, which China has labelled as separatists, to be voted out.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-is-a-choice-for-democracy-or-china-frontrunner-says-661272">Taiwan election is a choice for democracy or China, frontrunner says</a></strong></p>

<p>In his recent speeches, Lai has asked people not to be swayed by China’s threats while offering talks with Beijing and pledging not to upset the status quo. “Taiwan stands on the front line of the confrontation between democracy and totalitarianism,” said Lai about the upcoming elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His supporters have also indicated that they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-people-in-beijing-and-taipei-have-reacted-to-chinas-military-drills-580445">will not be swayed</a>. “China often tries to intimidate Taiwan, but we Taiwanese are not easily frightened,” said a woman surnamed Zheng, as quoted by AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added that “less clear-headed people might get scared and vote for unprincipled politicians”.</p>

<p>The DDP has long rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying that Taiwan’s future should be decided by its people, while KMT argues that both Taipei and Beijing belong to one single China.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The ruling party has portrayed the KMT and its presidential candidate, Hou as being pro-Beijing. He has since rejected the allegation that he is “pro-China and a sell-out of Taiwan.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


With candidates in Taiwan gearing up for the key elections which are now just a day away, China has ramped up the pressure by literally looming over the self-governing island.

With candidates in Taiwan gearing up for the key elections which are now just a day away, China has ramped up the pressure by literally looming over the self-governing island. This is in addition to the remarks from Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping who in his New Year’s address called China’s “reunification” with Taiwan inevitable. Over the past few days, China has made several remarks going as far as warning voters in Taiwan to make the “right choice” which includes not supporting the current presidential frontrunner and candidate from the self-governing island’s ruling party, Lai Ching-te. Chinese ‘spy’ balloons spotted over Taiwan Since last month, the Taiwanese defence ministry has reported a spate of Chinese balloons not only flying over Taiwan but also crossing the narrow Taiwan Strait which separates the island from mainland China. On Tuesday (Jan 9), Taiwan’s defence ministry said that it spotted four Chinese balloons over the Taiwan Strait the day prior, two of which crossed the Taiwan Strait. This was the day after Taiwanese officials said they detected three Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. Amid the rise of such incidents, Taiwan accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island’s people ahead of its presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday (Jan 13). However, the Taiwanese defence ministry has not directly said that the balloons are being used for spying. Officials have also said that so far they have not recovered any remains of the balloons and were not considering shooting them down, at least for now. The possibility that China could be using balloons for spying became a global issue last February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. However, Beijing has since said that the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray. ALSO READ | Iran navy says seized oil tanker in Gulf of Oman China has long flexed its military muscle against Taiwan by sending fighter jets, reconnaissance drones and naval ships almost daily. In April 2023, China conducted three-day military drills on the Taiwan Strait and by the end of it, released a simulation video showing how it could launch a full-scale attack against the island if war ever breaks out. Since December, the island’s defence ministry has been reporting at least 20 of mysterious balloons some of which have crossed the Taiwan Strait. These incidents prompted the Taiwanese ministry to issue a strongly worded statement on Saturday (Jan 6), condemning China’s actions. “We also express our condemnation of the Chinese communists’ disregard for aviation safety and its disregard for the safety of passengers on cross-Taiwan Strait and international flights.” The ministry said that its analysis of these actions was that the balloons were part of China’s “grey zone” tactics against Taiwan “in an attempt to use cognitive warfare to affect the morale of our people.” Similarly, some experts believe that Beijing is trying to influence Taiwan’s elections by using these balloons. “They’re using various different tactics to threaten Taiwan and to put pressure on (President Tsai Ing-wen’s) administration,” Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project told VOA. Raymond Kuo, director of the RAND Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative told AFP that the balloons’ military purpose is in line with “China’s gray zone coercion strategy towards Taiwan.” He added, “Beijing is signalling that it can violate Taiwanese airspace at will and challenge its sovereignty.” Kuo also believes that China’s balloon tactic might backfire and these incidents could push Taiwan to form closer security relations with the United States and other countries in Asia. Taiwan’s government also issued an air raid alert on Tuesday (Jan 9), saying a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite had flown over its southern airspace. Taiwan’s foreign minister described the incident as part of a pattern of harassment before the elections. ‘War and peace’ China has not only used its balloons in a bid to potentially influence the Taiwanese elections but also disinformation and words to sway the voters. While Xi struck a stronger tone than he did last year with his New Year’s address, calling Taiwan’s “reunification” with China, he did not mention the elections. However, Zhang Zhijun, head of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, a quasi-official body that handles ties with Taiwan, during his New Year’s address said the Taiwanese people had an important choice to make during the upcoming election. “The two elections coming up in the Taiwan region are important choices between the prospects for peace and war, prosperity and decline,” said the senior Chinese official. He added, “Taiwan compatriots must stand on the right side of history, and make a correct choice to promote cross-strait relations back to the right track of peaceful development.” WATCH | Taiwan Presidential elections: China warns voters to make correct choice in elections Both China and the US are closely watching the elections since the result is expected to impact the future of Taiwan’s relations with Beijing. But China has reportedly been more involved. Some experts and Taiwanese authorities have said that the election campaign has been hit by a wave of disinformation and TikTok videos, which are particularly aimed at candidates China opposes. While China has not explicitly supported any candidate, Beijing and Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), have warned that Lai poses a “severe danger” to cross-Strait relations. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: China using AI anchors to influence Taiwan Elections “I sincerely hope the majority of Taiwan compatriots recognize the extreme harm of the DPP’s (Democratic Progressive Party) ‘Taiwan independence’ line and the extreme danger of Lai Ching-te’s triggering of cross-Strait confrontation and conflict, and to make the right choice at the crossroads of cross-Strait relations,” said China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, in a statement. It added, “If he comes to power, he will further push for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities (and create) turbulence in the Taiwan Strait.” A report by AFP detailed how one Chinese hashtag criticising Lai received over 8.5 million views. The report added that replies to such posts and videos criticising the DPP were filled with derogatory remarks and conspiracy theories. On Thursday (Jan 11), Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised China’s “repeated interference” in the upcoming elections and slammed Beijing for “once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community”. It added, “Taiwan’s elections are in the international spotlight & PRC’s repeated interference steals the focus. Frankly, Beijing should stop messing with other countries’ elections & hold their own. Let the #Chinese people freely choose their leaders.” According to experts, the flow of disinformation demonstrates a Beijing-linked effort to undermine any lawmakers who oppose Taiwan’s status as a part of China. The incumbent Vice President Lai, recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference. “In addition to political and military pressure, it is also using economic means, cognitive warfare, disinformation, threats and incentives,” he told reporters, on Tuesday (Jan 9). “It has resorted to all means to interfere with this election.” Meanwhile in Taiwan… Recent opinion polls show most Taiwanese support Lai while the rest are split between KMT’s Hou Yu-ih and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party. It is safe to say that Beijing is not happy, as it wants the ruling DPP, which China has labelled as separatists, to be voted out. ALSO READ | Taiwan election is a choice for democracy or China, frontrunner says In his recent speeches, Lai has asked people not to be swayed by China’s threats while offering talks with Beijing and pledging not to upset the status quo. “Taiwan stands on the front line of the confrontation between democracy and totalitarianism,” said Lai about the upcoming elections. His supporters have also indicated that they will not be swayed. “China often tries to intimidate Taiwan, but we Taiwanese are not easily frightened,” said a woman surnamed Zheng, as quoted by AFP. She added that “less clear-headed people might get scared and vote for unprincipled politicians”. The DDP has long rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying that Taiwan’s future should be decided by its people, while KMT argues that both Taipei and Beijing belong to one single China. The ruling party has portrayed the KMT and its presidential candidate, Hou as being pro-Beijing. He has since rejected the allegation that he is “pro-China and a sell-out of Taiwan.” (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan election: From 'spy' balloons to psychological warfare, China is piling on pressure

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidRlbBVSFvM9vf" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>US intelligence officials have said that a Chinese spy balloon that flew across the country earlier this year had used an American internet service provider, NBC News reported on Thursday (Dec 28) citing two current and one former official familiar with the assessment. According to the assessment, the spy balloon connected to a US-based company to send and receive communications from China, primarily related to the balloon's navigation.</p>

<p>Officials told NBC News the assessment found that the connection allowed the balloon to send burst transmissions or high-bandwidth collections of data over short periods. The internet service provider's name has not been disclosed, and the company denied that the Chinese spy balloon had used its network.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>A 'highly secretive' court order sought by Biden admin</strong></h2>

<p>The NBC News report on Thursday said that the Biden administration had sought a highly secretive court order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to collect intelligence about the spy balloon while it was over the US. But how the court ruled in this matter has also not been disclosed.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spy-balloon-panda-diplomacy-us-china-ties-in-2023-entered-a-phase-of-21st-century-cold-war-669728">Spy balloon, Panda diplomacy: US-China ties in 2023 entered a phase of 21st century cold war</a></strong></p>

<p>Officials told the network that such a court order would have allowed American intelligence agencies to conduct electronic surveillance on the balloon as it flew over the country and as it sent and received messages to and from China, including communication sent via the US-based internet service provider.</p>

<p>The balloon had first passed into US airspace north of Alaska's Aleutian Islands in late January. It was shot down on Feb 4. The appearance of this balloon caused a political uproar in the US, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelling his visit to Beijing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Balloon unintentionally drifted into US: China</strong></h2>

<p>China has repeatedly said that the balloon was used for meteorological research. Speaking with NBC News, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, said, "As we had made it clear before, the airship, used for meteorological research, unintentionally drifted into US because of the westerlies and its limited self-steering capability."</p>

<p>Liu added that the facts in this matter were clear.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US intelligence officials have said that a Chinese spy balloon that flew across the country earlier this year had used an American internet service provider, NBC News reported on Thursday (Dec 28) citing two current and one former official familiar with the assessment.

US intelligence officials have said that a Chinese spy balloon that flew across the country earlier this year had used an American internet service provider, NBC News reported on Thursday (Dec 28) citing two current and one former official familiar with the assessment. According to the assessment, the spy balloon connected to a US-based company to send and receive communications from China, primarily related to the balloon's navigation. Officials told NBC News the assessment found that the connection allowed the balloon to send burst transmissions or high-bandwidth collections of data over short periods. The internet service provider's name has not been disclosed, and the company denied that the Chinese spy balloon had used its network. A 'highly secretive' court order sought by Biden admin The NBC News report on Thursday said that the Biden administration had sought a highly secretive court order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to collect intelligence about the spy balloon while it was over the US. But how the court ruled in this matter has also not been disclosed. Also read: Spy balloon, Panda diplomacy: US-China ties in 2023 entered a phase of 21st century cold war Officials told the network that such a court order would have allowed American intelligence agencies to conduct electronic surveillance on the balloon as it flew over the country and as it sent and received messages to and from China, including communication sent via the US-based internet service provider. The balloon had first passed into US airspace north of Alaska's Aleutian Islands in late January. It was shot down on Feb 4. The appearance of this balloon caused a political uproar in the US, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelling his visit to Beijing. Balloon unintentionally drifted into US: China China has repeatedly said that the balloon was used for meteorological research. Speaking with NBC News, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, said, "As we had made it clear before, the airship, used for meteorological research, unintentionally drifted into US because of the westerlies and its limited self-steering capability." Liu added that the facts in this matter were clear. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese spy balloon used American internet provider to communicate: US intelligence officials

<p>As per the Pentagon, the so-called Chinese 'spy balloon' that crossed the continental United States from Alaska to the east coast in February did not collect any information.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Thursday, officials stated that the US "took steps to mitigate" any potential intelligence-gathering capabilities of the suspected spy balloon. Debris collected from the downed balloon is currently being analysed by US intelligence agencies. The incident caused tension between the US and China.</p>

<h2><strong>What the Pentagon said</strong></h2>

<p>As per BBC, Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder acknowledged that the balloon was believed to possess intelligence collection capabilities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that the US was "aware that (the balloon) had intelligence collection capabilities".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-spy-balloon-reportedly-used-us-technology-to-spy-on-americans-610126">Chinese 'spy' balloon reportedly used US technology to spy on Americans</a></strong></p>

<p>However, he added that the assessment now is that it did not collect any information.</p>

<p>"It has been our assessment now that it did not collect [information] while it was transiting the United States or over flying the United States."</p>

<p>Gen Ryder said that the efforts were undertaken by the US to counter any intelligence gathering and it "contributed" to the balloon's failure to gather sensitive data.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The General, as per BBC, did not confirm reports that American-made equipment was part of the balloon. However, he noted that Chinese drones have previously utilised off-the-shelf US equipment.</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese spy balloon in US, Canadian skies</strong></h2>

<p>As per new images made available recently, the Chinese spy balloon spent approximately a week flying over the United States and Canada in February before being shot down by a fighter jet off the Atlantic coast under the orders of President Joe Biden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sensors from the balloon were subsequently retrieved from the ocean. There were concerns that Beijing may have intended to gather information as the balloon passed over US military bases.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-images-show-chinese-spy-balloons-also-targeted-asia-as-japan-vows-retaliation-608935">New images show Chinese spy balloons also targeted Asia as Japan vows retaliation</a></strong></p>

<p>However, Chinese officials asserted that it was a civilian weather balloon and accused the US of overreacting by shooting it down.</p>

<p>As a result of the incident, Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a diplomatic trip to Beijing. However, the trip was rescheduled and took place earlier this month.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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As per the Pentagon, the so-called Chinese 'spy balloon' that crossed the continental United States from Alaska to the east coast in February did not collect any information.

As per the Pentagon, the so-called Chinese 'spy balloon' that crossed the continental United States from Alaska to the east coast in February did not collect any information. On Thursday, officials stated that the US "took steps to mitigate" any potential intelligence-gathering capabilities of the suspected spy balloon. Debris collected from the downed balloon is currently being analysed by US intelligence agencies. The incident caused tension between the US and China. What the Pentagon said As per BBC, Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder acknowledged that the balloon was believed to possess intelligence collection capabilities. He said that the US was "aware that (the balloon) had intelligence collection capabilities". Also read | Chinese 'spy' balloon reportedly used US technology to spy on Americans However, he added that the assessment now is that it did not collect any information. "It has been our assessment now that it did not collect [information] while it was transiting the United States or over flying the United States." Gen Ryder said that the efforts were undertaken by the US to counter any intelligence gathering and it "contributed" to the balloon's failure to gather sensitive data. The General, as per BBC, did not confirm reports that American-made equipment was part of the balloon. However, he noted that Chinese drones have previously utilised off-the-shelf US equipment. Chinese spy balloon in US, Canadian skies As per new images made available recently, the Chinese spy balloon spent approximately a week flying over the United States and Canada in February before being shot down by a fighter jet off the Atlantic coast under the orders of President Joe Biden. Sensors from the balloon were subsequently retrieved from the ocean. There were concerns that Beijing may have intended to gather information as the balloon passed over US military bases. Also read | New images show Chinese spy balloons also targeted Asia as Japan vows retaliation However, Chinese officials asserted that it was a civilian weather balloon and accused the US of overreacting by shooting it down. As a result of the incident, Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a diplomatic trip to Beijing. However, the trip was rescheduled and took place earlier this month. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese spy balloon failed to gather intelligence flying over US: Pentagon

<p>Earlier this year, a Chinese 'spy'&nbsp;balloon was spotted in the skies of the United States and was later shot down by jets over the Atlantic Ocean — an incident which escalated tensions between Washington and Beijing. Now, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday (June 28), citing preliminary findings from a closely held probe, that the spy balloon used American technology to&nbsp;collect audio-visual information.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Citing US officials, WSJ said that analysis from several US defence and intelligence agencies found that the balloon carried commercially available US gear, along with more specialised Chinese sensors and other equipment to collect photographs, video and other information to transmit to China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report said that the findings support a conclusion that the balloon was intended for spying, and not for weather monitoring as claimed by China. WSJ said that the balloon did not seem to send data from its eight-day passage over Alaska, Canada and some other contiguous US states back to China.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-origin-man-jailed-for-smuggling-800-people-into-us-using-uber-610082">Indian-Origin man jailed for smuggling over 800 Indians into US using Uber</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<h2><strong>Spy balloon saga&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>American authorities tracked the balloon after it was spotted, they later scrambled jets to shoot it down and had collected the debris to analyse it. However, China said that the balloon was a civilian 'airship'&nbsp;which was used for research, mainly meteorological purposes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The balloon episode sparked diplomatic tensions and posed an immediate impact on US-China ties.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinpings-green-energy-push-gives-china-top-renewable-energy-dividends-610050">Xi Jinping's green energy push gives China top renewable energy dividends</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US Cities under air quality alerts amid haze of Canada wildfires</strong></p>

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<p>After the incident, a senior State Department official said that the spy balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The officials in the US had claimed that the balloon could have been a part of a huge aerial spy programme operated by the Chinese military, which apparently targeted more than 40 countries on five continents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US is also confident that the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon has a "direct relationship" with the People's Liberation Army (PLA).&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by news agencies, an official had said on grounds of anonymity that "it [the balloon] had multiple antennas to include an array likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was basically meant to collect information on military assets in countries and areas of emerging strategic interest to China including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
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Earlier this year, a Chinese 'spy' balloon was spotted in the skies of the United States and was later shot down by jets over the Atlantic Ocean — an incident which escalated tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Earlier this year, a Chinese 'spy' balloon was spotted in the skies of the United States and was later shot down by jets over the Atlantic Ocean — an incident which escalated tensions between Washington and Beijing. Now, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday (June 28), citing preliminary findings from a closely held probe, that the spy balloon used American technology to collect audio-visual information. Citing US officials, WSJ said that analysis from several US defence and intelligence agencies found that the balloon carried commercially available US gear, along with more specialised Chinese sensors and other equipment to collect photographs, video and other information to transmit to China. The report said that the findings support a conclusion that the balloon was intended for spying, and not for weather monitoring as claimed by China. WSJ said that the balloon did not seem to send data from its eight-day passage over Alaska, Canada and some other contiguous US states back to China. Also read: Indian-Origin man jailed for smuggling over 800 Indians into US using Uber Spy balloon saga American authorities tracked the balloon after it was spotted, they later scrambled jets to shoot it down and had collected the debris to analyse it. However, China said that the balloon was a civilian 'airship' which was used for research, mainly meteorological purposes. The balloon episode sparked diplomatic tensions and posed an immediate impact on US-China ties. Also read: Xi Jinping's green energy push gives China top renewable energy dividends Watch: US Cities under air quality alerts amid haze of Canada wildfires × After the incident, a senior State Department official said that the spy balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications". The officials in the US had claimed that the balloon could have been a part of a huge aerial spy programme operated by the Chinese military, which apparently targeted more than 40 countries on five continents. The US is also confident that the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon has a "direct relationship" with the People's Liberation Army (PLA). As quoted by news agencies, an official had said on grounds of anonymity that "it [the balloon] had multiple antennas to include an array likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications." "It was equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors," it added. It was basically meant to collect information on military assets in countries and areas of emerging strategic interest to China including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese 'spy' balloon reportedly used US technology to spy on Americans

New evidence of China's spy balloon programme, including flights over Japan and Taiwan has been uncovered by BBC Panorama. Japan has confirmed balloons have flown over its territory and said it's prepared to shoot them down in future. China has not directly addressed the evidence presented by the BBC. US-China relations were thrown into turmoil earlier this year, when an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the US coast.

New images show Chinese spy balloons also targeted Asia as Japan vows retaliation

Within two days of Antony Blinken departing from Beijing US President Joe Biden stirred controversy when addressing Blue Waters a Democratic party donor's reception he referred to Xi Jinping as a dictator and spoke about the Chinese balloon that was shot down in North American airspace.

China calls Biden's comments 'ridiculous' | Latest English News

<p>In an effort&nbsp;to restore high-level communication&nbsp;amid ongoing difficulties, Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to travel to China in the upcoming weeks for meetings with senior leaders, potentially including President Xi Jinping.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the US spotted what it claimed to be a Chinese surveillance balloon passing over the US mainland in February, Blinken decided against going to Beijing. As per Bloomberg reports,&nbsp;the precise time of Blinken's visit is still up in the air.</p>

<h2><strong>What would the visit mean?</strong></h2>

<p>The visit, if it happens, would be a part of President Joe Biden's effort to restore some normalcy to a relationship that has been strained by hostile military encounters, harsh economic sanctions, and claims from both sides that the other is endangering world security.</p>

<p>National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned of a “growing aggressiveness” by China after interceptions of a US ship and surveillance aircraft in recent weeks.</p>

<p>“It won’t be long before somebody gets hurt,” Kirby said.</p>

<p>Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, retaliated by criticising the US for&nbsp;“sending warships halfway around the world to China’s doorstep in a provocative way".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/modis-us-visit-a-rebound-from-historic-lows-but-dissident-notes-of-track-iii-diplomacy-abound-601153">Modi's US visit a rebound from historic lows, but dissident notes of Track III diplomacy abound</a></p>

<p>At the same time, Kirby said that progress was being made by both parties to create new paths for inviting US Cabinet secretaries on visits.</p>

<p>At a forum&nbsp;in Singapore last week, China rejected US attempts to set up a meeting between the defence ministers of the two nations, but high-level communication has resumed in other areas. On Monday, "candid" discussions were held with Chinese officials by Daniel Kritenbrink, the chief representative of the US State Department for Asia. His visit came after CIA Director William Burns' stopover in May, and senior trade and commerce officials'&nbsp;recent&nbsp;visit.</p>

<h2><strong>China's reaction</strong></h2>

<p>A Chinese surveillance balloon was brought down by the United States in&nbsp;February&nbsp;after traversing the nation for a week's time. The balloon's deflation marked an explosive conclusion to a drama&nbsp;that had brought up a diplomatic crisis between the two superpowers of the world, reported&nbsp;The New York Times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the spy balloon&nbsp;had been circling the country for approximately a week, President Biden gave the order to shoot it down. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;US praises India's vibrant democracy ahead of PM Modi's visit</strong></p>

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<p>China warned that it would retaliate,&nbsp;denouncing the action as an overreaction by the United States.</p>

<p>The Chinese balloon aggravated already strained relations between Beijing and Washington after the Biden administration announced that it was flying over the United States, particularly Montana with its 150 or more intercontinental ballistic missile silos.</p>

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In an effort to restore high-level communication amid ongoing difficulties, Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to travel to China in the upcoming weeks for meetings with senior leaders, potentially including President Xi Jinping.

In an effort to restore high-level communication amid ongoing difficulties, Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to travel to China in the upcoming weeks for meetings with senior leaders, potentially including President Xi Jinping. After the US spotted what it claimed to be a Chinese surveillance balloon passing over the US mainland in February, Blinken decided against going to Beijing. As per Bloomberg reports, the precise time of Blinken's visit is still up in the air. What would the visit mean? The visit, if it happens, would be a part of President Joe Biden's effort to restore some normalcy to a relationship that has been strained by hostile military encounters, harsh economic sanctions, and claims from both sides that the other is endangering world security. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned of a “growing aggressiveness” by China after interceptions of a US ship and surveillance aircraft in recent weeks. “It won’t be long before somebody gets hurt,” Kirby said. Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, retaliated by criticising the US for “sending warships halfway around the world to China’s doorstep in a provocative way". Also read | Modi's US visit a rebound from historic lows, but dissident notes of Track III diplomacy abound At the same time, Kirby said that progress was being made by both parties to create new paths for inviting US Cabinet secretaries on visits. At a forum in Singapore last week, China rejected US attempts to set up a meeting between the defence ministers of the two nations, but high-level communication has resumed in other areas. On Monday, "candid" discussions were held with Chinese officials by Daniel Kritenbrink, the chief representative of the US State Department for Asia. His visit came after CIA Director William Burns' stopover in May, and senior trade and commerce officials' recent visit. China's reaction A Chinese surveillance balloon was brought down by the United States in February after traversing the nation for a week's time. The balloon's deflation marked an explosive conclusion to a drama that had brought up a diplomatic crisis between the two superpowers of the world, reported The New York Times. After the spy balloon had been circling the country for approximately a week, President Biden gave the order to shoot it down. Also watch | US praises India's vibrant democracy ahead of PM Modi's visit China warned that it would retaliate, denouncing the action as an overreaction by the United States. The Chinese balloon aggravated already strained relations between Beijing and Washington after the Biden administration announced that it was flying over the United States, particularly Montana with its 150 or more intercontinental ballistic missile silos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US Secretary of State Blinken scheduled to visit Beijing for talks in coming weeks: Report

<p>The FBI's probe into the crashed alleged Chinese spy balloon has raised worries in China and because of this it is refusing to let US secretary of state Antony Blinken visit Beijing, reported Financial Times citing sources familiar with the discussions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Four persons involved with the discussions claimed that China had informed the US that it was unwilling to reschedule a trip that Blinken had postponed in February, reported Financial Times.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-approves-electronic-enlistment-bill-clamps-down-on-russians-who-dodge-military-service-582599">Putin approves electronic call-up bill, clamps down on Russians who dodge military service</a></p>

<p>In February, Blinken was scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping in China but unexpectedly postponed his trip because of the balloon saga.&nbsp;FBI has been examining the debris that was recovered from it. There are conflicting stances from both sides. China claims it was a weather balloon that went off track, contrary to the US's claim that the device was eavesdropping on secret military facilities.</p>

<p>Chinese authorities are worried that the FBI investigation and tangible evidence from the balloon would be released by the Biden administration, and that the study's conclusions might be made known during Blinken's visit to China.</p>

<p>According to three persons with knowledge of the discussion, Qin Gang, China's foreign minister, brought up the subject with Americans attending the China Development Forum in Beijing last month. One source said Qin cited the FBI probe as another problem that made it challenging to normalise US-China relations.</p>

<p>US authorities emphasise that China's balloon flight across its airspace is what started the situation. Inquiries about whether the probe will be made public were refused by the FBI and National Security Council.</p>

<p>The matter has also prompted disagreements inside the Biden administration, with some officials wishing to declassify the information to demonstrate that the balloon was spying. Additionally, the FBI's findings are likely to be released under pressure from Congress.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-leak-us-president-biden-says-probe-will-examine-why-leaker-had-classified-access-582597">Pentagon leak: US President Biden says investigation will examine why leaker had classified access</a></p>

<p>Others, however, contend that revealing the material would thwart efforts to relaunch the countries' much-needed high-level interaction. Beijing's approach, according to Bonnie Glaser of the German Marshall Fund, indicated its worries about how the US might utilise the incident going forward.</p>

<p>“Beijing is distrustful of US intent and worries the US will use the information gleaned from the balloon investigation in ways harmful to Chinese interests,” Glaser said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Macron's pension reform gets constitutional green light despite raging protests</strong></p>

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<p>On visit plans to China, Blinken told FT that&nbsp;it is “important to maintain channels of communication” with China to make sure both sides were “speaking to each other clearly”.</p>

<p>“When it comes to my own visit to China, when the conditions are right I’ll certainly look forward to pursuing that."&nbsp;<br />
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The FBI's probe into the crashed alleged Chinese spy balloon has raised worries in China and because of this it is refusing to let US secretary of state Antony Blinken visit Beijing, reported Financial Times citing sources familiar with the discussions.

The FBI's probe into the crashed alleged Chinese spy balloon has raised worries in China and because of this it is refusing to let US secretary of state Antony Blinken visit Beijing, reported Financial Times citing sources familiar with the discussions. Four persons involved with the discussions claimed that China had informed the US that it was unwilling to reschedule a trip that Blinken had postponed in February, reported Financial Times. Also Read | Putin approves electronic call-up bill, clamps down on Russians who dodge military service In February, Blinken was scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping in China but unexpectedly postponed his trip because of the balloon saga. FBI has been examining the debris that was recovered from it. There are conflicting stances from both sides. China claims it was a weather balloon that went off track, contrary to the US's claim that the device was eavesdropping on secret military facilities. Chinese authorities are worried that the FBI investigation and tangible evidence from the balloon would be released by the Biden administration, and that the study's conclusions might be made known during Blinken's visit to China. According to three persons with knowledge of the discussion, Qin Gang, China's foreign minister, brought up the subject with Americans attending the China Development Forum in Beijing last month. One source said Qin cited the FBI probe as another problem that made it challenging to normalise US-China relations. US authorities emphasise that China's balloon flight across its airspace is what started the situation. Inquiries about whether the probe will be made public were refused by the FBI and National Security Council. The matter has also prompted disagreements inside the Biden administration, with some officials wishing to declassify the information to demonstrate that the balloon was spying. Additionally, the FBI's findings are likely to be released under pressure from Congress. Also Read | Pentagon leak: US President Biden says investigation will examine why leaker had classified access Others, however, contend that revealing the material would thwart efforts to relaunch the countries' much-needed high-level interaction. Beijing's approach, according to Bonnie Glaser of the German Marshall Fund, indicated its worries about how the US might utilise the incident going forward. “Beijing is distrustful of US intent and worries the US will use the information gleaned from the balloon investigation in ways harmful to Chinese interests,” Glaser said. Watch | Macron's pension reform gets constitutional green light despite raging protests × On visit plans to China, Blinken told FT that it is “important to maintain channels of communication” with China to make sure both sides were “speaking to each other clearly”. “When it comes to my own visit to China, when the conditions are right I’ll certainly look forward to pursuing that." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China unwilling to reschedule Blinken’s Beijing visit, concerned about investigation into spy balloon

<p>The matter of the Chinese spy balloon that flew across the United States in February this year refuses to die down. Now NBC News has reported that the balloon gathered intelligence from several US military sites and transmitted it back to Beijing in real-time. Beijing had said at the time that the balloon was a weather ship blown astray and entered the US airspace by mistake.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US President Joe Biden had ordered to shoot down the giant Chinese spy balloon near the east coast on February 4. The Chinese foreign ministry reacted angrily to the incident and warned of repercussions over America's use of force against its civilian unmanned airship. It said, “The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure – it was completely an accident."</p>

<p>The NBC report says that the high-altitude balloon, controlled by Beijing, made multiple passes over some of the sites before it was shot down. It flew at times in a figure-eight formation, NBC said, citing two current senior US officials and one former senior administration official.</p>

<p>The officials told NBC that the spy balloon could transmit the information it collected back to Beijing in real-time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images," NBC cited the officials as saying.</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese spy balloon gathered intelligence on US military sites : Report</strong></h2>

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<p>No official from the US or China has commented on the report yet. While US warned China of flying spy balloons over US territory, it did not think it had a lot of impact on its national security.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-shoots-down-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-beijing-reacts-558889">US shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon</a></p>

<p>The balloon flew over the US and Canada early in February before it was shot down off the Atlantic Coast. In response, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a planned visit to Beijing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later, Beijing claimed that Washington has sent spy balloons into its airspace more than 10 times since January 2022. "It's not uncommon as well for the US to illegally enter the airspace of other countries," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. "Since last year alone, US balloons have illegally flown above China more than 10 times without any approval from Chinese authorities," he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The matter of the Chinese spy balloon that flew across the United States in February this year refuses to die down. Now NBC News has reported that the balloon gathered intelligence from several US military sites and transmitted it back to Beijing in real-time.

The matter of the Chinese spy balloon that flew across the United States in February this year refuses to die down. Now NBC News has reported that the balloon gathered intelligence from several US military sites and transmitted it back to Beijing in real-time. Beijing had said at the time that the balloon was a weather ship blown astray and entered the US airspace by mistake. US President Joe Biden had ordered to shoot down the giant Chinese spy balloon near the east coast on February 4. The Chinese foreign ministry reacted angrily to the incident and warned of repercussions over America's use of force against its civilian unmanned airship. It said, “The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure – it was completely an accident." The NBC report says that the high-altitude balloon, controlled by Beijing, made multiple passes over some of the sites before it was shot down. It flew at times in a figure-eight formation, NBC said, citing two current senior US officials and one former senior administration official. The officials told NBC that the spy balloon could transmit the information it collected back to Beijing in real-time. "The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images," NBC cited the officials as saying. Chinese spy balloon gathered intelligence on US military sites : Report No official from the US or China has commented on the report yet. While US warned China of flying spy balloons over US territory, it did not think it had a lot of impact on its national security. Also Read | US shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon The balloon flew over the US and Canada early in February before it was shot down off the Atlantic Coast. In response, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a planned visit to Beijing. Later, Beijing claimed that Washington has sent spy balloons into its airspace more than 10 times since January 2022. "It's not uncommon as well for the US to illegally enter the airspace of other countries," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. "Since last year alone, US balloons have illegally flown above China more than 10 times without any approval from Chinese authorities," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese spy balloon collected, transmitted intelligence from US military sites in real-time: Report

<p>A selfie photograph taken by a U2 spy plane’s pilot was released by the Pentagon. The highlight of the selfie is the suspected Chinese spy balloon which was captured by the pilot while the plane was hovering above the Chinese spy balloon in the US skies, after which the balloon was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month.</p>

<p>In the image, the controversial, silvery-white balloon is clearly seen with panels dangling below it. The picture was taken by the airman on the flight deck as the balloon got into the US airspace at a high altitude.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-shot-down-hobbyists-balloon-worth-12-using-missile-costing-439000-563331">US shot down hobbyists’ balloon worth $12 using missile costing $439,000?</a></p>

<p>China has continued to deny that it is a spy balloon and has rather claimed that it was a weather ship which veered off course. However, Washington continues to claim that the balloon was part of a Chinese intelligence collection programme. &nbsp;</p>

<p>When the balloon was spotted flying over US territory, around two planes gathered information on its trajectory and features.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, a senior State Department official said that fly-bys revealed it "was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations". Officials first spotted the balloon after it entered Alaskan airspace on January 28. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | US recovers debris of Chinese balloon; FBI to analyse downed spy balloon</strong></p>

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<p>The image released by Pentagon was taken a day before it was shot down on February 4. The balloon was reported to be flying at 60,000 feet (18,200m) in the air. According to the Air Force, U-2 planes fly routinely at altitudes over 70,000 feet. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last Friday, the recovery efforts for the scattered remnants of the balloon ended in the Atlantic Ocean. Pentagon's deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said that they have recovered pieces of the debris, which includes its payload, and they are being studied.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A selfie photograph taken by a U2 spy plane’s pilot was released by the Pentagon. The highlight of the selfie is the suspected Chinese spy balloon which was captured by the pilot while the plane was hovering above the Chinese spy balloon in the US skies, after which the balloon was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month.

A selfie photograph taken by a U2 spy plane’s pilot was released by the Pentagon. The highlight of the selfie is the suspected Chinese spy balloon which was captured by the pilot while the plane was hovering above the Chinese spy balloon in the US skies, after which the balloon was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month. In the image, the controversial, silvery-white balloon is clearly seen with panels dangling below it. The picture was taken by the airman on the flight deck as the balloon got into the US airspace at a high altitude. ALSO READ | US shot down hobbyists’ balloon worth $12 using missile costing $439,000? China has continued to deny that it is a spy balloon and has rather claimed that it was a weather ship which veered off course. However, Washington continues to claim that the balloon was part of a Chinese intelligence collection programme. When the balloon was spotted flying over US territory, around two planes gathered information on its trajectory and features. Earlier this month, a senior State Department official said that fly-bys revealed it "was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations". Officials first spotted the balloon after it entered Alaskan airspace on January 28. WATCH | US recovers debris of Chinese balloon; FBI to analyse downed spy balloon The image released by Pentagon was taken a day before it was shot down on February 4. The balloon was reported to be flying at 60,000 feet (18,200m) in the air. According to the Air Force, U-2 planes fly routinely at altitudes over 70,000 feet. Last Friday, the recovery efforts for the scattered remnants of the balloon ended in the Atlantic Ocean. Pentagon's deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said that they have recovered pieces of the debris, which includes its payload, and they are being studied. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Selfie with spy balloon! US pilot captures Chinese balloon at 60,000 feet

<p>The US recently accused China of spying using a balloon, which was spotted in the American airspace and later shot down by fighter jets on President Joe Biden's orders. China called America's response "hysterical" and denied the claims by saying that it was a "civilian airship" meant for research purposes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US also claimed that China has been spying on dozens of other nations, including India and Japan. Although China keeps denying it, several reports suggest that Beijing might have.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In January 2022, an unidentified object was reportedly seen hovering over Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to reports. The sphere-shaped, white-coloured object, had caused panic as it was seen in a region which has an Indian Navy base.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The object was reported to have antennas and it looked uncannily similar to the one shot down by the US. Last year's reports have resurfaced after the recent balloon saga, which escalated tensions between the US and China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the reports were barely noticed by the mainstream media and just a few local outlets published it. And the issue died down without any official response. Some reports even said that there was confusion over whether it was a stratospheric balloon used for data collection for weather patterns, or if it was something else.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Local media outlet Andaman Sheekha reported that there was mixed opinion after the balloon was spotted. Some suspected it to be a weather balloon, but some raised suspicion over the object as it had "eight dark panels", which were attached to it.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>The strategic importance of the region</strong></h2>

<p>If the object was actually meant for spying, then it hovered over a region which is strategically important to India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian forces conduct regular drills in the region to counter the rising Chinese influence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the region, India also has the Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is the first and only tri-service theatre command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The command has assets of the Navy, the Air force and the Army, which are working together.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from the military, India also keeps a close watch on all the activities in the region in regard to the trade route as China is eyeing most trade channels, which cut through the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just days ahead of the time the object was reported to be seen over the islands in 2022, a joint exercise involving the three forces was carried out, at the end of December 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Was the so-called spy balloon linked to the Indian military exercises? Was it there to collect data on military exercises?</p>

<p>There is no definitive answer unless the Indian government releases an official statement on it. But so far, there's none.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Airborne Exercise to validate Rapid Response Capability of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShatrujeetBrigade?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShatrujeetBrigade</a> was carried out during Multi-Domain Tri-Service Exercise which is under progress at the strategically important Nicobar group of islands of Andaman and Nicobar.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianArmy</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StrongAndCapable?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StrongAndCapable</a> <a href="https://t.co/TZ0428NNv0">pic.twitter.com/TZ0428NNv0</a></p>
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The US recently accused China of spying using a balloon, which was spotted in the American airspace and later shot down by fighter jets on President Joe Biden's orders.

The US recently accused China of spying using a balloon, which was spotted in the American airspace and later shot down by fighter jets on President Joe Biden's orders. China called America's response "hysterical" and denied the claims by saying that it was a "civilian airship" meant for research purposes. The US also claimed that China has been spying on dozens of other nations, including India and Japan. Although China keeps denying it, several reports suggest that Beijing might have. In January 2022, an unidentified object was reportedly seen hovering over Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to reports. The sphere-shaped, white-coloured object, had caused panic as it was seen in a region which has an Indian Navy base. The object was reported to have antennas and it looked uncannily similar to the one shot down by the US. Last year's reports have resurfaced after the recent balloon saga, which escalated tensions between the US and China. However, the reports were barely noticed by the mainstream media and just a few local outlets published it. And the issue died down without any official response. Some reports even said that there was confusion over whether it was a stratospheric balloon used for data collection for weather patterns, or if it was something else. Local media outlet Andaman Sheekha reported that there was mixed opinion after the balloon was spotted. Some suspected it to be a weather balloon, but some raised suspicion over the object as it had "eight dark panels", which were attached to it. Watch this report: × The strategic importance of the region If the object was actually meant for spying, then it hovered over a region which is strategically important to India. Indian forces conduct regular drills in the region to counter the rising Chinese influence. In the region, India also has the Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is the first and only tri-service theatre command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The command has assets of the Navy, the Air force and the Army, which are working together. Apart from the military, India also keeps a close watch on all the activities in the region in regard to the trade route as China is eyeing most trade channels, which cut through the region. Just days ahead of the time the object was reported to be seen over the islands in 2022, a joint exercise involving the three forces was carried out, at the end of December 2021. Was the so-called spy balloon linked to the Indian military exercises? Was it there to collect data on military exercises? There is no definitive answer unless the Indian government releases an official statement on it. But so far, there's none. Airborne Exercise to validate Rapid Response Capability of #ShatrujeetBrigade was carried out during Multi-Domain Tri-Service Exercise which is under progress at the strategically important Nicobar group of islands of Andaman and Nicobar.#IndianArmy#StrongAndCapable pic.twitter.com/TZ0428NNv0 — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 22, 2021 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Did China spy on the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with a mysterious 'sphere-shaped object'?

<p>China on Saturday (February 18) slammed the United States for the recent spy balloon saga, which escalated tensions between the two countries. A Chinese balloon was spotted in the US airspace earlier this month which was shot down by US fighter jets. The US also shot down "unidentified objects" at two other different locations afterwards.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-munich-security-conference-china-blasts-us-over-spy-balloon-saga-563413">Munich Security Conference</a></strong>, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said that the way American authorities reacted was "unimaginable" and "hysterical" and an "absurd" act that had violated international norms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Beijing previously said that the "civilian airship" was used for research and must have drifted away and entered the US airspace.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/munich-conference-rishi-sunak-says-uk-to-provide-ukraine-with-long-range-weapons-calls-for-new-nato-charter-563450">Munich Conference: Rishi Sunak says UK to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons, calls for new NATO charter</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>While addressing the security conference, Wang said, "There are so many balloons all over the world, so is the United States going to shoot all of them down?"&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wang is the director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The balloon episode&nbsp;sparked diplomatic tensions and posed an immediate impact on US-China ties, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponing a planned visit to Beijing.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US Vice President Kamala Harris addresses Munich Security Conference&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>At a White House press conference, US President Joe Biden had said that if any aerial object is seen as a threat to the nation, he won't hesitate to bring it down. Biden also confirmed that the other objects that were shot down last week weren't related to China.</p>

<p>Wang was asked about the prospects of engaging with US delegates present at the conference regarding the issue and also attempting to restore Sino-US dialogue to a more normal track.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, "We ask the U.S. to show its sincerity and correct its mistakes, face up and resolve this incident, which has damaged Sino-US relations."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We hope the U.S. could pursue a pragmatic and positive policy towards China, and work with China to push Sino-U.S. relations back to the track of healthy development," the Chinese diplomat added.&nbsp;</p>

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China on Saturday (February 18) slammed the United States for the recent spy balloon saga, which escalated tensions between the two countries. A Chinese balloon was spotted in the US airspace earlier this month which was shot down by US fighter jets.

China on Saturday (February 18) slammed the United States for the recent spy balloon saga, which escalated tensions between the two countries. A Chinese balloon was spotted in the US airspace earlier this month which was shot down by US fighter jets. The US also shot down "unidentified objects" at two other different locations afterwards. At the Munich Security Conference, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said that the way American authorities reacted was "unimaginable" and "hysterical" and an "absurd" act that had violated international norms. Beijing previously said that the "civilian airship" was used for research and must have drifted away and entered the US airspace. ALSO READ | Munich Conference: Rishi Sunak says UK to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons, calls for new NATO charter While addressing the security conference, Wang said, "There are so many balloons all over the world, so is the United States going to shoot all of them down?" Wang is the director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. The balloon episode sparked diplomatic tensions and posed an immediate impact on US-China ties, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponing a planned visit to Beijing. WATCH | US Vice President Kamala Harris addresses Munich Security Conference × At a White House press conference, US President Joe Biden had said that if any aerial object is seen as a threat to the nation, he won't hesitate to bring it down. Biden also confirmed that the other objects that were shot down last week weren't related to China. Wang was asked about the prospects of engaging with US delegates present at the conference regarding the issue and also attempting to restore Sino-US dialogue to a more normal track. He said, "We ask the U.S. to show its sincerity and correct its mistakes, face up and resolve this incident, which has damaged Sino-US relations." "We hope the U.S. could pursue a pragmatic and positive policy towards China, and work with China to push Sino-U.S. relations back to the track of healthy development," the Chinese diplomat added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

China slams America’s ‘hysterical’ and ‘unimaginable’ response over balloon incident

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<p>US President Joe Biden said on Thursday (February 16) that if any aerial object is seen as a threat to the nation, he won't hesitate to bring it down. Biden also said that the other three objects that were shot down last week weren't related to China.&nbsp;“We don’t yet know exactly what these three objects were but nothing right now suggests they were related to China’s spy balloon program or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country,” Biden said.</p>

<p>The balloon saga has escalated tensions between US and China. It started with the spotting of a white-coloured Chinese balloon flying in US airspace last week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US authorities tracked it for a couple of days and eventually scrambled fighter jets to shoot it down. They recovered debris to analyse the balloon, which was suspected to be a Chinese spying object.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greece-and-bulgaria-come-together-sign-energy-deal-to-reduce-energy-dependence-562822">Greece and Bulgaria come together, sign energy deal to reduce dependence on Russia</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Biden told the White House press briefing, "We acted out of an abundance of caution" at an opportunity that allowed the US to take down the objects safely."&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the suspected spy balloon, the US also shot down two other unidentified objects, a total of three in one week - a "high-altitude object" was shot down when it was flying over Alaska and one was shot down over Canada.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Russia- Ukraine war: One year into war, who stands where?&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>During the media address, the US president said that he ordered the military to take down unidentified objects over the weekend because of their danger to commercial air traffic. Biden mentioned that they could not "rule out the surveillance risk of sensitive facilities".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Biden said, "The intelligence community's current assessment is that these three ones were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research."&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Biden expects 'to be talking to Xi'</strong></h2>

<p>Biden said that he is planning to have a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said, "I expect to be speaking with President Xi and I hope we are going to get to the bottom of this."&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added: "We seek competition, not conflict with China. We're not looking for a new Cold War."</p>

<p>However, he also said that he makes "no apologies and we will compete".&nbsp;</p>

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US President Joe Biden said on Thursday (February 16) that if any aerial object is seen as a threat to the nation, he won't hesitate to bring it down. Biden also said that the other three objects that were shot down last week weren't related to China.

US President Joe Biden said on Thursday (February 16) that if any aerial object is seen as a threat to the nation, he won't hesitate to bring it down. Biden also said that the other three objects that were shot down last week weren't related to China. “We don’t yet know exactly what these three objects were but nothing right now suggests they were related to China’s spy balloon program or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country,” Biden said. The balloon saga has escalated tensions between US and China. It started with the spotting of a white-coloured Chinese balloon flying in US airspace last week. The US authorities tracked it for a couple of days and eventually scrambled fighter jets to shoot it down. They recovered debris to analyse the balloon, which was suspected to be a Chinese spying object. ALSO READ | Greece and Bulgaria come together, sign energy deal to reduce dependence on Russia Biden told the White House press briefing, "We acted out of an abundance of caution" at an opportunity that allowed the US to take down the objects safely." After the suspected spy balloon, the US also shot down two other unidentified objects, a total of three in one week - a "high-altitude object" was shot down when it was flying over Alaska and one was shot down over Canada. WATCH | Russia- Ukraine war: One year into war, who stands where? × During the media address, the US president said that he ordered the military to take down unidentified objects over the weekend because of their danger to commercial air traffic. Biden mentioned that they could not "rule out the surveillance risk of sensitive facilities". Biden said, "The intelligence community's current assessment is that these three ones were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research." Biden expects 'to be talking to Xi' Biden said that he is planning to have a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said, "I expect to be speaking with President Xi and I hope we are going to get to the bottom of this." He added: "We seek competition, not conflict with China. We're not looking for a new Cold War." However, he also said that he makes "no apologies and we will compete". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Won't hesitate to shoot down anything that threatens US, says Biden

<p>Casting aside initial aspersions over the Chinese balloons that were shot down by US jets over suspicion of spying on American military sites, the White House on Tuesday said its intelligence officials believe that the balloons were being flown for “benign or commercial” use.</p>

<p>Briefing reporters, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that the assessment of the intelligence officials is preliminary and added that the US is yet to determine the origin of the three objects.</p>

<p>Kirby said that more would be known once the debris is collected, but added that the parts are in hard-to-reach areas —two in the frozen north and one in Lake Huron. He further said that retrieving the debris was proving difficult.</p>

<p>“The intelligence community is considering as a leading explanation that these could just be balloons tied to some commercial or benign purpose,” Kirby said.</p>

<p>He said that efforts to retrieve the debris have been hampered due to “pretty tough conditions,” exacerbated by the geographic challenges on Lake Huron, in the Yukon wilderness and on sea ice north of Alaska.</p>

<p>“Pretty tough weather conditions, let alone just geographically, just tough time of year,” Kirby said.</p>

<p>He further said that there was no indication they were connected to China’s spy balloon program, on the bias of which the US jets were scrambled to take action earlier this month.</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese spy balloon row: Deputy Secretary of the state hits out at China</strong></h2>

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<h2><strong>US senators briefed on spy balloon</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, US senators, who were given a classified briefing on balloons on Capitol Hill, said they were reassured that the flying objects posed no threat to the American people.</p>

<p>“There are a lot of these things that are up in the air from time to time, some commercial, some government and maybe there are some things we don’t know,” said Republican’s Utah Senator Mitt Romney, reports CNN.</p>

<p>He added that he wasn’t worried “in the slightest” that the objects themselves threaten the American people.</p>

<p>The reaction from the US seeks to put rest to the ongoing claims about the origins of the balloons.</p>

<p>Administration officials have increasingly cast doubt on their ability to fully recover debris from the objects, given tough conditions where they landed.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Casting aside initial aspersions over the Chinese balloons that were shot down by US jets over suspicion of spying on American military sites, the White House on Tuesday said its intelligence officials believe that the balloons were being flown for “benign or commercial” use.

Casting aside initial aspersions over the Chinese balloons that were shot down by US jets over suspicion of spying on American military sites, the White House on Tuesday said its intelligence officials believe that the balloons were being flown for “benign or commercial” use. Briefing reporters, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that the assessment of the intelligence officials is preliminary and added that the US is yet to determine the origin of the three objects. Kirby said that more would be known once the debris is collected, but added that the parts are in hard-to-reach areas —two in the frozen north and one in Lake Huron. He further said that retrieving the debris was proving difficult. “The intelligence community is considering as a leading explanation that these could just be balloons tied to some commercial or benign purpose,” Kirby said. He said that efforts to retrieve the debris have been hampered due to “pretty tough conditions,” exacerbated by the geographic challenges on Lake Huron, in the Yukon wilderness and on sea ice north of Alaska. “Pretty tough weather conditions, let alone just geographically, just tough time of year,” Kirby said. He further said that there was no indication they were connected to China’s spy balloon program, on the bias of which the US jets were scrambled to take action earlier this month. Chinese spy balloon row: Deputy Secretary of the state hits out at China US senators briefed on spy balloon Meanwhile, US senators, who were given a classified briefing on balloons on Capitol Hill, said they were reassured that the flying objects posed no threat to the American people. “There are a lot of these things that are up in the air from time to time, some commercial, some government and maybe there are some things we don’t know,” said Republican’s Utah Senator Mitt Romney, reports CNN. He added that he wasn’t worried “in the slightest” that the objects themselves threaten the American people. The reaction from the US seeks to put rest to the ongoing claims about the origins of the balloons. Administration officials have increasingly cast doubt on their ability to fully recover debris from the objects, given tough conditions where they landed. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

No conclusive evidence to prove Chinese balloons were used for spying, says White House

<p>Be it drowning three alleged Chinese ‘spy’ balloons or targeting unknown aerial objects over Alaska, Michigan and Canada, the United States has prominently used one particular missile to bring down anything that the country believes is a threat to its people. And that is the AIM-9X Sidewinder.</p>

<p>The American-made AIM-9X Sidewinder is a heat-seeking missile and has been one of the most widely used air-to-air missile types in aerial warfare for the last three decades.</p>

<p>It was first introduced in the 1950s, as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it has evolved over time. It is believed that the AIM-9X Sidewinder greatly influenced the design of most of the modern heatseekers, thanks to espionage efforts by China and the erstwhile Soviet Union during the Cold War.</p>

<p>In the aftermath of the Chinese balloon fiasco and shooting yet-to-be-known aerial object, the air-to-air missile has once again come to the spotlight.</p>

<p>Here’s what you need to know about it:</p>

<h2><strong>Who made them?</strong></h2>

<p>The missile is made by Virginia-based Raytheon Technologies Corp. This weaponry has been in the US arsenal for decades. While the weapons are primarily manufactured for US forces, the missile is also sold in large quantities to a range of American allies.</p>

<h2><strong>Sold to over 30 foreign partners </strong></h2>

<p>According to Raytheon, it is currently being sold to 31 foreign military partners, including countries like South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.</p>

<p>Though primarily an air-to-air weapon, the latest AIM-9X version can also be used from the ground and against land-based targets. It is widely deployable in a range of modern aircraft including the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor aircrafts.</p>

<p>This versatility has allowed the missile to break records by helping the advanced F-22 fighter jet score its first air-to-air kill.</p>

<p>US has not revealed the number of missiles it has, but it is believed to be on the higher side as according to Bloomberg, the US Air Force received its 100,000th such missile in 2021.</p>

<h2><strong>What is the cost</strong></h2>

<p>According to Bloomberg, the US Department of Defence is looking to purchase 255 such missiles for $111.9 million for the 2023 financial year. Which means that a missile costs about $439,000 each.</p>

<p>However, some countries have purchased in significant discounts while other countries usually pay for associated equipment, parts and training costs as well.</p>

<p>For example, Malaysia sought to procure just 20 AIM-9X-2 missiles for $52 million in 2011, after including such secondary costs.</p>

<h2><strong>How do they work?</strong></h2>

<p>The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a supersonic, heat-seeking, short-range missile. Among the main components are: an infrared homing guidance section, an active optical target detector, a high-explosive warhead and a rocket motor.</p>

<p>With the help of the infrared guiding system, the missile has the capability to lock in on targets in a range of settings at any time of the day.</p>

<p>Weighing around 186-pound (84 kg), this killing missile is powered by solid fuel, and it has a length of 9.9 feet (3 meters).</p>

<p>Raytheon Technologies Corp has also released a so-called Block II variant of the missile with enhanced features, including a lock-on-after-launch capability so the pilot shooting the device does not have to rely on just visual aiming.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Be it drowning three alleged Chinese ‘spy’ balloons or targeting unknown aerial objects over Alaska, Michigan and Canada, the United States has prominently used one particular missile to bring down anything that the country believes is a threat to its people.

Be it drowning three alleged Chinese ‘spy’ balloons or targeting unknown aerial objects over Alaska, Michigan and Canada, the United States has prominently used one particular missile to bring down anything that the country believes is a threat to its people. And that is the AIM-9X Sidewinder. The American-made AIM-9X Sidewinder is a heat-seeking missile and has been one of the most widely used air-to-air missile types in aerial warfare for the last three decades. It was first introduced in the 1950s, as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it has evolved over time. It is believed that the AIM-9X Sidewinder greatly influenced the design of most of the modern heatseekers, thanks to espionage efforts by China and the erstwhile Soviet Union during the Cold War. In the aftermath of the Chinese balloon fiasco and shooting yet-to-be-known aerial object, the air-to-air missile has once again come to the spotlight. Here’s what you need to know about it: Who made them? The missile is made by Virginia-based Raytheon Technologies Corp. This weaponry has been in the US arsenal for decades. While the weapons are primarily manufactured for US forces, the missile is also sold in large quantities to a range of American allies. Sold to over 30 foreign partners According to Raytheon, it is currently being sold to 31 foreign military partners, including countries like South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. Though primarily an air-to-air weapon, the latest AIM-9X version can also be used from the ground and against land-based targets. It is widely deployable in a range of modern aircraft including the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor aircrafts. This versatility has allowed the missile to break records by helping the advanced F-22 fighter jet score its first air-to-air kill. US has not revealed the number of missiles it has, but it is believed to be on the higher side as according to Bloomberg, the US Air Force received its 100,000th such missile in 2021. What is the cost According to Bloomberg, the US Department of Defence is looking to purchase 255 such missiles for $111.9 million for the 2023 financial year. Which means that a missile costs about $439,000 each. However, some countries have purchased in significant discounts while other countries usually pay for associated equipment, parts and training costs as well. For example, Malaysia sought to procure just 20 AIM-9X-2 missiles for $52 million in 2011, after including such secondary costs. How do they work? The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a supersonic, heat-seeking, short-range missile. Among the main components are: an infrared homing guidance section, an active optical target detector, a high-explosive warhead and a rocket motor. With the help of the infrared guiding system, the missile has the capability to lock in on targets in a range of settings at any time of the day. Weighing around 186-pound (84 kg), this killing missile is powered by solid fuel, and it has a length of 9.9 feet (3 meters). Raytheon Technologies Corp has also released a so-called Block II variant of the missile with enhanced features, including a lock-on-after-launch capability so the pilot shooting the device does not have to rely on just visual aiming. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Shooting down Chinese spy balloons or mystery UFOs, US always relies on this $439,000 missile

<p>The United States shot down another unidentified object, the third in the last one week, on Saturday (February 11), this time&nbsp;over Canada.&nbsp;The ongoing saga of these high-altitude flying objects started with the spotting of a white-coloured Chinese balloon flying in US airspace. The US authorities tracked the suspected spy balloon for a couple of days and eventually shot it down as soon as it was deemed safe and&nbsp;recovered the debris which is being analysed.</p>

<p>What makes the entire episode a big deal is that&nbsp;the US took unprecedented action to tackle the unidentified objects&nbsp;after considering safety threats and the president was fully involved in the operation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A US State Department official said that the Chinese spy balloon&nbsp;had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance". On condition of anonymity, the official told news agencies that the balloon had "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-f-22-fighter-jet-shoots-down-unidentified-object-over-northern-canada-561034">US F-22 fighter jet shoots down another ‘unidentified object’, over northern Canada</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>However, China said it was a civilian "airship" which was used for research. Beijing also commented on the shooting down of the balloon, saying that it tested "US sincerity in improving and stabilising China-US relations and its way of handling crises".&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Saturday, the US shot down a "high-altitude object" which was flying over Alaska. The operation was carried out on the orders of US President Joe Biden.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. <a href="https://twitter.com/NORADCommand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NORADCommand</a> shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and U.S. aircraft were scrambled, and a U.S. F-22 successfully fired at the object.</p>
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1624527579116871681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I spoke with President Biden this afternoon. Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America.</p>
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1624527581331554306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>What do we know about these balloons?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The US claims that the first Chinese balloon was meant more or less for "spying". Meanwhile, not much information has been shared by the US administration and Pentagon on the other two incidents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said that the object shot down on Saturday was cylindrical, but she avoided saying anything definitively about its likely origin and purpose. So far, two recently spotted objects remain a mystery and the world knows little about them.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-shoots-down-high-altitude-object-hovering-over-alaska-biden-calls-it-success-560894">US shoots down 'high-altitude object', Biden calls it 'success', Justin Trudeau supports decision</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Anand said that the object shot down in the Yukon region was "small, cylindrical" and flying at an altitude of approximately 40,000 feet. It had unlawfully entered Canadian airspace and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flights.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US Department of Defense said that the&nbsp;US and Canadian planes flew together to take down the object on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Why are these objects being spotted more than ever, especially by the US?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>A recent report by The Washington Post claimed that China has used these balloons to spy on other countries, including India and. Japan. But the spotting of these objects and shooting down has become common just recently.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the report, the officials said that these surveillance balloons have been spotted over five continents and are being operated in part by the People's Liberation Army air force. But the source-based report hasn't been confirmed by the government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But why haven't other countries reported it? Does the US have specialised technology to spot such objects?&nbsp;</p>

<p>A source-based report by CNN claimed that the US has developed a method within the last one year to track China's spy balloon fleet. The report claimed that such incidents happened in the past also, but went&nbsp;undetected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One such incident happened after President Joe Biden took office in 2021, and after that, the intelligence community "ran some of the balloon's signals through the American intelligence holdings and other data".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>What is NORAD?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Pentagon Spokesman Pat Ryder said in a statement that Biden had authorised US fighter aircraft assigned to NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) to work with Canada to take down a high-altitude airborne object over northern Canada.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NORAD is a combined organisation of the US and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty and protection for both nations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Chinese balloon saga has led to a diplomatic flare-up between the two superpowers, and misinformation may escalate the situation further.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So far, there's no official statement that can provide the exact origin of two unidentified objects. Authorities are looking for the debris, but the Northern Command said in a statement that the search and recovery operations for the remains of that object continued Saturday but were hindered by the Arctic "wind chill, snow, and limited daylight". &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Statement from NORAD &amp; U.S. Northern Command <a href="https://t.co/aY1VXRCpEs">pic.twitter.com/aY1VXRCpEs</a></p>
— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) <a href="https://twitter.com/NORADCommand/status/1624596337890058240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The United States shot down another unidentified object, the third in the last one week, on Saturday (February 11), this time over Canada. The ongoing saga of these high-altitude flying objects started with the spotting of a white-coloured Chinese balloon flying in US airspace.

The United States shot down another unidentified object, the third in the last one week, on Saturday (February 11), this time over Canada. The ongoing saga of these high-altitude flying objects started with the spotting of a white-coloured Chinese balloon flying in US airspace. The US authorities tracked the suspected spy balloon for a couple of days and eventually shot it down as soon as it was deemed safe and recovered the debris which is being analysed. What makes the entire episode a big deal is that the US took unprecedented action to tackle the unidentified objects after considering safety threats and the president was fully involved in the operation. A US State Department official said that the Chinese spy balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance". On condition of anonymity, the official told news agencies that the balloon had "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications." ALSO READ | US F-22 fighter jet shoots down another ‘unidentified object’, over northern Canada However, China said it was a civilian "airship" which was used for research. Beijing also commented on the shooting down of the balloon, saying that it tested "US sincerity in improving and stabilising China-US relations and its way of handling crises". On Saturday, the US shot down a "high-altitude object" which was flying over Alaska. The operation was carried out on the orders of US President Joe Biden. I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. @NORADCommand shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and U.S. aircraft were scrambled, and a U.S. F-22 successfully fired at the object. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2023 × I spoke with President Biden this afternoon. Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2023 × What do we know about these balloons? The US claims that the first Chinese balloon was meant more or less for "spying". Meanwhile, not much information has been shared by the US administration and Pentagon on the other two incidents. Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said that the object shot down on Saturday was cylindrical, but she avoided saying anything definitively about its likely origin and purpose. So far, two recently spotted objects remain a mystery and the world knows little about them. ALSO READ | US shoots down 'high-altitude object', Biden calls it 'success', Justin Trudeau supports decision Anand said that the object shot down in the Yukon region was "small, cylindrical" and flying at an altitude of approximately 40,000 feet. It had unlawfully entered Canadian airspace and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flights. The US Department of Defense said that the US and Canadian planes flew together to take down the object on Saturday. Why are these objects being spotted more than ever, especially by the US? A recent report by The Washington Post claimed that China has used these balloons to spy on other countries, including India and. Japan. But the spotting of these objects and shooting down has become common just recently. According to the report, the officials said that these surveillance balloons have been spotted over five continents and are being operated in part by the People's Liberation Army air force. But the source-based report hasn't been confirmed by the government. But why haven't other countries reported it? Does the US have specialised technology to spot such objects? A source-based report by CNN claimed that the US has developed a method within the last one year to track China's spy balloon fleet. The report claimed that such incidents happened in the past also, but went undetected. One such incident happened after President Joe Biden took office in 2021, and after that, the intelligence community "ran some of the balloon's signals through the American intelligence holdings and other data". Watch this report: × What is NORAD? Pentagon Spokesman Pat Ryder said in a statement that Biden had authorised US fighter aircraft assigned to NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) to work with Canada to take down a high-altitude airborne object over northern Canada. NORAD is a combined organisation of the US and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty and protection for both nations. The Chinese balloon saga has led to a diplomatic flare-up between the two superpowers, and misinformation may escalate the situation further. So far, there's no official statement that can provide the exact origin of two unidentified objects. Authorities are looking for the debris, but the Northern Command said in a statement that the search and recovery operations for the remains of that object continued Saturday but were hindered by the Arctic "wind chill, snow, and limited daylight". Statement from NORAD & U.S. Northern Command pic.twitter.com/aY1VXRCpEs — North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) February 12, 2023 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US shoots down another unidentified object: What are these & why are they being spotted more now?

The Chinese balloon saga and unidentified objects in US airspace: Here's all you need to know

Six days after shooting down an alleged Chinese spy balloon, a U.S fighter jet shot down another unidentified object drifting high over Alaska. Pentagon described it as a high altitude object which was the size of a small car.

Pentagon: High-altitude object was the size of a small car

<p>United States President Joe Biden told CNN that the shooting down of the unidentified object which was flying over Alaska on Friday (February 10) "was a success".&nbsp;The order to take down the object, which was first detected on Thursday, was given to the US military by the commander-in-chief, the national security officials revealed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a media interaction on Friday, the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the object was taken down because it was a threat to civil aviation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kirby said that the purpose and origin of the object were not known, but he mentioned that the “president ordered the military&nbsp;to down the object,&nbsp;which was floating at 40,000 feet.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>This comes after the recent hotly-debated spy balloon saga. A huge white-coloured Chinese balloon was shot down by American jets last weekend. &nbsp;</p>

<p>US State Department official said on Thursday that the so-called spy balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Chinese balloon in the US airspace escalated the tensions between the US and China, but Beijing said that it was a civilian "airship" which was used for research, mainly meteorological purposes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, giving details about the object, Kirby said that it was much smaller than the huge Chinese balloon that had crossed the US last week and was shot down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was "roughly the size of a small car," he said, adding that "we do not know who owns it, whether it was state-owned or corporate-owned".&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>F-22 fighter jet shot it down&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The US sent F-35s fighter jets to probe the object on Thursday. They also attempted to get details about the object but as per Kirby, the jets got "limited" information.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder told reporters that the object was travelling in a northeasterly direction when it was shot down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ryder further said that an F-22 fighter jet from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska took down the object "at 1:45 p.m. eastern standard time today, within US sovereign airspace over US territorial water".&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Trudeau supports decision</strong></h2>

<p>Reacting to the US military's action, Justin Trudeau, the&nbsp;prime minister of neighbouring Canada&nbsp;said on Friday that he supported the decision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trudeau tweeted: "This afternoon, an object that violated American airspace was brought down. I was briefed on the matter and supported the decision to take action. Our military and intelligence services will always work together, including through @NORADCommand, to keep people safe."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This afternoon, an object that violated American airspace was brought down. I was briefed on the matter and supported the decision to take action. Our military and intelligence services will always work together, including through <a href="https://twitter.com/NORADCommand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NORADCommand</a>, to keep people safe.</p>
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1624166817831739406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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United States President Joe Biden told CNN that the shooting down of the unidentified object which was flying over Alaska on Friday (February 10) "was a success".

United States President Joe Biden told CNN that the shooting down of the unidentified object which was flying over Alaska on Friday (February 10) "was a success". The order to take down the object, which was first detected on Thursday, was given to the US military by the commander-in-chief, the national security officials revealed. In a media interaction on Friday, the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the object was taken down because it was a threat to civil aviation. Kirby said that the purpose and origin of the object were not known, but he mentioned that the “president ordered the military to down the object, which was floating at 40,000 feet.” Watch this report: × This comes after the recent hotly-debated spy balloon saga. A huge white-coloured Chinese balloon was shot down by American jets last weekend. US State Department official said on Thursday that the so-called spy balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications." The Chinese balloon in the US airspace escalated the tensions between the US and China, but Beijing said that it was a civilian "airship" which was used for research, mainly meteorological purposes. Meanwhile, giving details about the object, Kirby said that it was much smaller than the huge Chinese balloon that had crossed the US last week and was shot down. It was "roughly the size of a small car," he said, adding that "we do not know who owns it, whether it was state-owned or corporate-owned". F-22 fighter jet shot it down The US sent F-35s fighter jets to probe the object on Thursday. They also attempted to get details about the object but as per Kirby, the jets got "limited" information. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder told reporters that the object was travelling in a northeasterly direction when it was shot down. Ryder further said that an F-22 fighter jet from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska took down the object "at 1:45 p.m. eastern standard time today, within US sovereign airspace over US territorial water". Trudeau supports decision Reacting to the US military's action, Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of neighbouring Canada said on Friday that he supported the decision. Trudeau tweeted: "This afternoon, an object that violated American airspace was brought down. I was briefed on the matter and supported the decision to take action. Our military and intelligence services will always work together, including through @NORADCommand, to keep people safe." This afternoon, an object that violated American airspace was brought down. I was briefed on the matter and supported the decision to take action. Our military and intelligence services will always work together, including through @NORADCommand, to keep people safe. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 10, 2023 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US shoots down 'high-altitude object', Biden calls it 'success', Justin Trudeau supports decision

<p>A US State Department official said on Thursday that the Chinese balloon shot down by American jets over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend had antennas likely capable of collecting communication signals and other sensitive information.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a statement by a senior State Department official, the so-called "spy balloon" had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications."&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the official, the balloon could have been a part of a huge aerial spy program operated by the Chinese military, which apparently targeted more than 40 countries on five continents. The US is also confident that the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon has a "direct relationship" with the People's Liberation Army (PLA). &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-spy-balloons-have-flown-over-strategic-us-sites-in-the-past-pentagon-560169">Chinese spy balloons have flown over strategic US sites in the past: Pentagon</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The official said that the detailed images taken by high-altitude U2s showed the balloon's payload equipment "was clearly for intelligence surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment onboard weather balloons".&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the news agencies, the official said, on grounds of anonymity that "it [the balloon] had multiple antennas to include an array likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>A recent report by The Washington Post already claimed that China has used spy balloons to spy on other countries, including India and Japan. The report added that such surveillance balloon effort has operated for several years partly out of Hainan province off China's south coast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was basically meant to collect information on military assets in countries and areas of emerging strategic interest to China including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When the balloon was spotted flying across the US, it tracked it for a couple of days and eventually shot it down. The authorities collected the debris to analyse it further. A US State Department official said on Thursday that the Chinese balloon shot down by American jets over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend had antennas likely capable of collecting communications.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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A US State Department official said on Thursday that the Chinese balloon shot down by American jets over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend had antennas likely capable of collecting communication signals and other sensitive information.

A US State Department official said on Thursday that the Chinese balloon shot down by American jets over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend had antennas likely capable of collecting communication signals and other sensitive information. According to a statement by a senior State Department official, the so-called "spy balloon" had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications." As per the official, the balloon could have been a part of a huge aerial spy program operated by the Chinese military, which apparently targeted more than 40 countries on five continents. The US is also confident that the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon has a "direct relationship" with the People's Liberation Army (PLA). ALSO READ | Chinese spy balloons have flown over strategic US sites in the past: Pentagon The official said that the detailed images taken by high-altitude U2s showed the balloon's payload equipment "was clearly for intelligence surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment onboard weather balloons". As quoted by the news agencies, the official said, on grounds of anonymity that "it [the balloon] had multiple antennas to include an array likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications." "It was equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors," it added. Watch this report: × A recent report by The Washington Post already claimed that China has used spy balloons to spy on other countries, including India and Japan. The report added that such surveillance balloon effort has operated for several years partly out of Hainan province off China's south coast. It was basically meant to collect information on military assets in countries and areas of emerging strategic interest to China including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines. When the balloon was spotted flying across the US, it tracked it for a couple of days and eventually shot it down. The authorities collected the debris to analyse it further. A US State Department official said on Thursday that the Chinese balloon shot down by American jets over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend had antennas likely capable of collecting communications. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese balloon 'clearly' for spying, had antennas likely capable of collecting communications: US

<p>United States President Joe Biden, who has been facing criticism from some lawmakers, on Thursday said that according to him the suspected Chinese spy balloon, which was seen flying in the skies of the US before being shot down in the Atlantic Ocean, was not a major security breach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Biden, who has tried to maintain good communications with China and keep the tensions with Beijing under control, in a Noticias Telemundo interview said that he has no regrets about not shooting down the Chinese balloon sooner.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-dismisses-questions-about-age-ahead-of-expected-2024-campaign-560252">US President Joe Biden dismisses questions about age ahead of expected 2024 campaign</a></p>

<p>"It's not a major breach. I mean, look, it's totally … it's a violation of international law. It's our airspace. And once it comes into our space, we can do what we want with it," said Biden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He stated that the US military officials were concerned if the balloon is shot down over land, the deflated balloon and its parts can fall into a populated area.</p>

<p>"This thing was gigantic. What happened if it came down and hit a school in a rural area? What happened if it came down? So I told them as soon as they could shoot it down, shoot it down. They made a wise decision. They shot it down over the water, they're recovering most of the parts, and they're good," Biden said.</p>

<p>On February 2, Biden ordered to shoot the balloon after it crossed into the northwestern United States but acquiesced to the request of the US military to not take any step till it was over water.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A US fighter jet shot down the 200-foot-tall (61-meter) balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Efforts are being made by the US military to recover the parts of the balloon.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | US: Probe into Hunter Biden laptop saga</strong></p>

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<p>However, some Democrats and Republicans slammed Biden for not shooting down the balloon as soon as it was spotted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The officials had first detected the high-altitude surveillance balloon over Alaska on January 28.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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United States President Joe Biden, who has been facing criticism from some lawmakers, on Thursday said that according to him the suspected Chinese spy balloon, which was seen flying in the skies of the US before being shot down in the Atlantic Ocean, was not a major security breach.

United States President Joe Biden, who has been facing criticism from some lawmakers, on Thursday said that according to him the suspected Chinese spy balloon, which was seen flying in the skies of the US before being shot down in the Atlantic Ocean, was not a major security breach. Biden, who has tried to maintain good communications with China and keep the tensions with Beijing under control, in a Noticias Telemundo interview said that he has no regrets about not shooting down the Chinese balloon sooner. ALSO READ | US President Joe Biden dismisses questions about age ahead of expected 2024 campaign "It's not a major breach. I mean, look, it's totally … it's a violation of international law. It's our airspace. And once it comes into our space, we can do what we want with it," said Biden. He stated that the US military officials were concerned if the balloon is shot down over land, the deflated balloon and its parts can fall into a populated area. "This thing was gigantic. What happened if it came down and hit a school in a rural area? What happened if it came down? So I told them as soon as they could shoot it down, shoot it down. They made a wise decision. They shot it down over the water, they're recovering most of the parts, and they're good," Biden said. On February 2, Biden ordered to shoot the balloon after it crossed into the northwestern United States but acquiesced to the request of the US military to not take any step till it was over water. A US fighter jet shot down the 200-foot-tall (61-meter) balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Efforts are being made by the US military to recover the parts of the balloon. WATCH | US: Probe into Hunter Biden laptop saga However, some Democrats and Republicans slammed Biden for not shooting down the balloon as soon as it was spotted. The officials had first detected the high-altitude surveillance balloon over Alaska on January 28. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US President Biden calls suspected Chinese spy balloon 'not a major breach'

<p>The Pentagon has revealed that Chinese spy balloons have passed over US sites that might be of interest to Beijing on at least four previous occasions. However, it did not say if any of these sites were military bases.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more information about the Chinese spy balloon is being received "almost by the hour" and relevant findings will be shared with Congress and allies around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said that they are not looking for conflict with China.</p>

<p>"We're going to compete fully with China, but... we're not looking for conflict -- and that's been the case so far," he said in a televised interview with PBS.</p>

<p>Notably, the Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the US East Coast on Saturday. China slammed the decision to shoot down the balloon, saying it was a civilian air vessel and accused Washington of overreacting.</p>

<p>Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said Washington knows of&nbsp;four such past flights that happened before the latest Chinese balloon was detected. The matter triggered political outrage in the United States and Blinken even cancelled a scheduled trip to Beijing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"They were over sites that would be of interest to the Chinese," Ryder told reporters.</p>

<p><strong>Chinese intelligence activity</strong></p>

<p>NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Blinken told a joint news conference that the flight of the Chinese balloon confirmed a pattern of Chinese behaviour and shows how important it is to be aware of the constant risk of Chinese intelligence activity.</p>

<p>Stoltenberg said China had invested heavily in new military capabilities.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-china-operate-balloons-to-spy-on-several-countries-including-india-and-japan-559989">Did China operate 'balloons' to spy on several countries, including India and Japan?</a></p>

<p>"And we've also seen increased Chinese intelligence activities in Europe. Again, different platforms: they use satellites, they use cyber, and as we've seen over the United States, also balloons. So we just have to be vigilant," he said.</p>

<p>"We need to be aware of the constant risk of Chinese intelligence and then step up what we do to protect ourselves," Stoltenberg added.</p>

<p><strong>A larger fleet</strong></p>

<p>Blinken further informed that information about the balloon had been shared with several other countries as it was part of a wider fleet that spanned five continents.</p>

<p>"We already shared information with dozens of countries around the world, both from Washington and through our embassies," Blinken said.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The United States was not the only target of this broader programme," Blinken said.</p>

<p>A Washington Post report said that China has used spy balloons to allegedly spy on other countries, including India and Japan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A senior US general had earlier said that the military didn't detect previous spy balloons in real time before the one that appeared on January 28. The Pentagon said over the weekend that Chinese spy balloons had briefly flown over the United States at least three times during Donald Trump's presidency, and once previously under President Joe Biden.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The Pentagon has revealed that Chinese spy balloons have passed over US sites that might be of interest to Beijing on at least four previous occasions. However, it did not say if any of these sites were military bases.

The Pentagon has revealed that Chinese spy balloons have passed over US sites that might be of interest to Beijing on at least four previous occasions. However, it did not say if any of these sites were military bases. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more information about the Chinese spy balloon is being received "almost by the hour" and relevant findings will be shared with Congress and allies around the world. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said that they are not looking for conflict with China. "We're going to compete fully with China, but... we're not looking for conflict -- and that's been the case so far," he said in a televised interview with PBS. Notably, the Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the US East Coast on Saturday. China slammed the decision to shoot down the balloon, saying it was a civilian air vessel and accused Washington of overreacting. Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said Washington knows of four such past flights that happened before the latest Chinese balloon was detected. The matter triggered political outrage in the United States and Blinken even cancelled a scheduled trip to Beijing. "They were over sites that would be of interest to the Chinese," Ryder told reporters. Chinese intelligence activity NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Blinken told a joint news conference that the flight of the Chinese balloon confirmed a pattern of Chinese behaviour and shows how important it is to be aware of the constant risk of Chinese intelligence activity. Stoltenberg said China had invested heavily in new military capabilities. Also Read | Did China operate 'balloons' to spy on several countries, including India and Japan? "And we've also seen increased Chinese intelligence activities in Europe. Again, different platforms: they use satellites, they use cyber, and as we've seen over the United States, also balloons. So we just have to be vigilant," he said. "We need to be aware of the constant risk of Chinese intelligence and then step up what we do to protect ourselves," Stoltenberg added. A larger fleet Blinken further informed that information about the balloon had been shared with several other countries as it was part of a wider fleet that spanned five continents. "We already shared information with dozens of countries around the world, both from Washington and through our embassies," Blinken said. × "The United States was not the only target of this broader programme," Blinken said. A Washington Post report said that China has used spy balloons to allegedly spy on other countries, including India and Japan. A senior US general had earlier said that the military didn't detect previous spy balloons in real time before the one that appeared on January 28. The Pentagon said over the weekend that Chinese spy balloons had briefly flown over the United States at least three times during Donald Trump's presidency, and once previously under President Joe Biden. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese spy balloons have flown over strategic US sites in the past: Pentagon

<p>If you think the ongoing balloon controversy is new, then you are mistaken! The spy balloon&nbsp;strategy has been adopted by several countries to snoop&nbsp;on rival nations.&nbsp;Recently, a Chinese balloon was spotted over the skies of the United States. Beijing said that it was a civilian airship used for research purposes, but concerns were raised over the balloon being used to spy on America. The US deployed fighter jets to track the balloon and shoot it down. The authorities are now analysing the debris.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The recent balloon saga reminds us of a lesser-known incident that happened during World War II when US Navy tried to shoot down a "spy balloon" but later realised that they were firing at the planet Venus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Such incendiary balloons were widely used by Japan during World War II between November 1944 and April 1945. The Japanese Army reportedly launched nearly 10,000 balloons, of which about 300 were found or observed in the US. Some were even seen in Canada and Mexico.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-china-operate-balloons-to-spy-on-several-countries-including-india-and-japan-559989">Did China operate 'balloons' to spy on several countries including India and Japan?</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Historians have stated that the practice of launching balloons was seen as Japan's effort to bring the war to the US. Robert Mikesh, who wrote a monograph about Japan's balloon bomb programme for the Smithsonian Annals of Flight Series, said in a 2020 interview, “It's the only thing that they had that was capable of reaching the United States — and even that was a long shot.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>A recently published report by The Washington Post has listed a few incidents linked to the balloons, one even caused casualties on May 5, 1945.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the same report, the Post mentioned the incident in the USS New York (BB-34) observed a silver sphere in the sky and thought that it was a Japanese balloon bomb, but it was actually Venus.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US President Joe Biden defends shooting down 'spy' balloon&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>After the recent balloon incident, the US Naval Institute posted on social media that "when the USS New York was sailing towards Iwo Jima in 1945, the crew spotted a silver sphere flying high overhead that seemed to follow the battleship for hours."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Concerned that the shiny orb might be a Japanese balloon weapon, the captain ordered it shot down. After the guns failed to score a hit, a navigator realised that they were attacking Venus," the post added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Since "Chinese Spy Balloon" is trending: In 1945, the crew of USS New York spotted a sphere that they thought might be a Japanese balloon weapon. The captain ordered it shot down but none of the guns could score a hit. Finally, a navigator realized they were attacking Venus. <a href="https://t.co/aKwedtrr2G">pic.twitter.com/aKwedtrr2G</a></p>
— U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) <a href="https://twitter.com/NavalInstitute/status/1621310952489590785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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If you think the ongoing balloon controversy is new, then you are mistaken! The spy balloon strategy has been adopted by several countries to snoop on rival nations.

If you think the ongoing balloon controversy is new, then you are mistaken! The spy balloon strategy has been adopted by several countries to snoop on rival nations. Recently, a Chinese balloon was spotted over the skies of the United States. Beijing said that it was a civilian airship used for research purposes, but concerns were raised over the balloon being used to spy on America. The US deployed fighter jets to track the balloon and shoot it down. The authorities are now analysing the debris. The recent balloon saga reminds us of a lesser-known incident that happened during World War II when US Navy tried to shoot down a "spy balloon" but later realised that they were firing at the planet Venus. Such incendiary balloons were widely used by Japan during World War II between November 1944 and April 1945. The Japanese Army reportedly launched nearly 10,000 balloons, of which about 300 were found or observed in the US. Some were even seen in Canada and Mexico. ALSO READ | Did China operate 'balloons' to spy on several countries including India and Japan? Historians have stated that the practice of launching balloons was seen as Japan's effort to bring the war to the US. Robert Mikesh, who wrote a monograph about Japan's balloon bomb programme for the Smithsonian Annals of Flight Series, said in a 2020 interview, “It's the only thing that they had that was capable of reaching the United States — and even that was a long shot.” A recently published report by The Washington Post has listed a few incidents linked to the balloons, one even caused casualties on May 5, 1945. In the same report, the Post mentioned the incident in the USS New York (BB-34) observed a silver sphere in the sky and thought that it was a Japanese balloon bomb, but it was actually Venus. WATCH | US President Joe Biden defends shooting down 'spy' balloon × After the recent balloon incident, the US Naval Institute posted on social media that "when the USS New York was sailing towards Iwo Jima in 1945, the crew spotted a silver sphere flying high overhead that seemed to follow the battleship for hours." "Concerned that the shiny orb might be a Japanese balloon weapon, the captain ordered it shot down. After the guns failed to score a hit, a navigator realised that they were attacking Venus," the post added. Since "Chinese Spy Balloon" is trending: In 1945, the crew of USS New York spotted a sphere that they thought might be a Japanese balloon weapon. The captain ordered it shot down but none of the guns could score a hit. Finally, a navigator realized they were attacking Venus. pic.twitter.com/aKwedtrr2G — U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) February 3, 2023 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Blast from past: China balloon brings back memory of times when US tried to ‘shoot down’ Venus

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