Since the last world cup, never the world was so passionate for a balloon. The United States and Canada are tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying at high altitude over North America and sensitive military sites for several days. First, the Pentagon announced Thursday the presence of the balloon in Chinese airspace, then, the Canadian authorities said they are investigating "a second potential incident.
Following the request of President Joe Biden, the Pentagon considered shooting down the balloon, a decision that was finally not taken because of the risks generated by the projections of debris for people on the ground. The balloon entered American airspace "about two days ago", it was already under surveillance, according to a senior U.S. defense official, it would not be the first time that an intrusion of this type is held. However, this time the balloon would have remained longer in the airspace. According to the same source, fighter jets approached the balloon over Montane, a Midwestern state.
"We have no doubt that the ball came from China"
On Friday, China acknowledged the entry of an unmanned balloon into U.S. airspace and said it "regrets" the incident. "This is a civilian aircraft used for research purposes, mainly meteorological," a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry justified.
"We are taking measures to protect against the collection of sensitive information," the senior U.S. official assured, while insisting on "the limited added value in terms of information collection" of the craft, described as a balloon with fairly large dimensions. "We considered it large enough that the debris could cause damage" if it was shot down over a populated area, according to the same source.
"Canadians are safe and Canada is taking steps to ensure the safety of its airspace, including monitoring for a second potential incident," the Canadian Defense Department said in a statement in which it made no reference to China.
The Republican chairman of the US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, denounced a "destabilizing action" by a China that "shamelessly disregards US sovereignty". He called on Joe Biden "not to remain silent".
An incident that comes before the U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, goes to China on Sunday and Monday. A trip planned before the incident and which should be the first visit of a representative of American diplomacy since 2018. Year, during which the two superpowers sought to avoid the tensions that opposed them before it degenerated into an open conflict.
Among the various topics of dispute, are those of Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory and the activities of the country of the rising sun in Southeast Asia.
In the Philippines, the American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signed agreements on Thursday to strengthen the American military presence in the face of China's growing power.