The US has alleged that another Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying over Latin America on Saturday. United States Press Secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said, “We are seeing reports of a balloon passing over Latin America. We now assess that this is another Chinese surveillance balloon.”
However, China said that US media and politicians have taken advantage of US allegations that China flew a spy balloon over the North-West US.
Moments before the decision to cancel the trip – aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries – China issued a rare statement of regret and blamed the winds for pushing a civilian airplane into US airspace.
The search for the balloon prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a rare planned visit to Beijing on Friday.
The foreign secretary said, “China… has never violated the territory and airspace of any sovereign country.”
It said, “Some politicians and the media in the US used the (balloon) incident to attack and defame China.”
Meanwhile, the US Northern Command is coordinating with NASA to determine what the debris field would be if the balloon floating over the United States were shot down.
Authorities said they are still tracking the suspected Chinese spy balloon as it travels across the US. The Pentagon said it currently does not pose a threat and is expected to remain in the US for the next few days.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden was first briefed on the balloon on Tuesday and was receiving frequent updates from the national security team.
The Pentagon said the balloon over the US was being used for surveillance, rejecting China’s claim that the plane was a “civilian aeroplane” for research that had veered off course.
China’s Foreign Ministry said, “The Chinese side has verified and reported to the US side the unintended and unexpected entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into US airspace. It is a civilian airship, used for Mainly carried out for research for meteorological purposes.” ,
The Pentagon on Friday rejected the Chinese government’s claim that the balloon served a civilian research purpose, saying the US knew it was a “surveillance balloon”.
The Pentagon also stated that it would not attempt to remove the balloon in US airspace because “the area of any potential debris would be significant” and could cause “civilian injuries or deaths or significant property damage”.
catch ’em all business News, market news, today’s fresh news events and Breaking News Update on Live Mint. download mint news app To get daily market updates.