The US-China tensions have been escalating lately, and the latest flashpoint is a Chinese spy balloon that was shot down off the Carolina coast. This balloon had been flying at 60,000 feet and estimated to be about the size of three school buses. In response to a reporter’s question about the balloon, President Joe Biden said, “We’re going to take care of it.”
The Biden administration moved forward with a plan to bring the balloon down once it was above the Atlantic Ocean, where the remnants could potentially be recovered. The Federal Aviation Administration and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below. The operation was successful, and television footage showed a small explosion followed by the balloon descending toward the water.
The balloon was suspected of conducting surveillance on the US military. Before the downing, the US had canceled a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing, scheduled for Sunday, for talks aimed at reducing US-China tensions. China has continued to claim that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course, but the Pentagon rejected that out of hand.
The balloon was spotted over Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America, which China has not responded to.
The public disclosure of the balloon prompted reactions on the Chinese internet. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at US defenses and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the US. China has denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research.
The US-China tensions are escalating, and the latest flashpoint is a Chinese spy balloon that was shot down off the Carolina coast. The US had suspected the balloon of conducting surveillance and decided to take action. The Federal Aviation Administration and Coast Guard worked to clear the airspace and water below, and the operation was successful. The balloon was spotted over Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields. The Pentagon also acknowledged reports of a second balloon flying over Latin America.
The US government had canceled a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing, scheduled for Sunday, for talks aimed at reducing US-China tensions. China has continued to claim that the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that had been blown off course, but the Pentagon rejected that out of hand. The public disclosure of the balloon prompted reactions on the Chinese internet, with some poking fun at US defenses and nationalist influencers using the news to mock the US.
This is yet another example of the escalating US-China tensions that have been ongoing for some time. It remains to be seen how the US and China will handle this situation and whether or not it will have a lasting impact on their relationship.
Source: wgntv.com