How Can We Believe China’s Take on the Alleged Spy Balloon?
Should we just believe them? China’s foreign ministry said that a balloon suspected by the United States of being used for covert surveillance is actually just a “civilian airship” that was pushed off course.
That’s their explanation for what many see as a spy balloon that was recently spotted over Montana.
“The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement. “Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course.”
China said they regret the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to unforeseen forces outside of its control.
“The Chinese side will continue communicating with the US side and properly handle this unexpected situation caused by force majeure,”
But on Friday, Canada’s national defense said that it was monitoring a “potential second incident.” This one is involving a suspected Chinese aircraft.
“A high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected and its movements are being actively tracked by [North American Aerospace Defense Command] NORAD,” Canada’s national defense said in a statement.
“Canadians are safe and Canada is taking steps to ensure the security of its airspace, including the monitoring of a potential second incident,” the statement said.
Brigadier General Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, said that the U.S. Defense Department is tracking a suspected Chinese spy balloon over U.S. airspace.
Ryder said that they are tracking and monitoring it closely and that the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information.
The suspected spy balloon is moving at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) called the incident a “brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty” and called on President Joe Biden to act.
