Washington says the Chinese balloon was a powerful spy device

First modification: 02/10/2023 – 00:40

The Chinese globe was not a metrological device. This is what the experts who analyzed the images taken by U-2 spy planes of the object that spent several days in US airspace said.

The images show that the balloon “was clearly made for observation for espionage purposes, and does not fit the equipment of weather balloons,” a senior US State Department official said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It had numerous antennas, an array likely capable of picking up and geolocating communications,” he said in a statement, adding that the balloon “was equipped with solar panels large enough to provide power to operate multiple intelligence-gathering sensors.”

According to a government statement, Washington is confident that the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon has a “direct relationship” with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Washington would consider taking action, without specifying what actions it is considering. She would also contemplate broader measures to “expose and address” China’s larger surveillance activities.

What Beijing had described as a “civilian aircraft used for research purposes, mainly meteorological” was shot down on Saturday off the Atlantic coast of the United States. It had flown over sensitive military locations. Similar balloons would have flown over the five continents, according to the Administration.

China last week insisted the balloon was a civilian weather aircraft that had gone off course and accused Washington of “overreacting” by bringing it down.

Tension grows between the US and China

On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to condemn China for a “blatant violation” of US sovereignty and for “misleading the international community through false claims about its information-gathering campaigns.” Despite the divisions within the House, lawmakers from both parties were united in the vote, with 419 votes in favor and none against.

On Tuesday, during his State of the Union address to Congress, Joe Biden said:

“If China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country.”

However, he also claimed to view China as a “competitor” and not as an “enemy.”

Last week, the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, canceled his long-awaited visit to China. “It was an irresponsible act and in response we acted responsibly and prudently to protect our interests,” he declared.

According to the Pentagon, Beijing on Saturday rejected a US proposal to hold a phone call between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said authorities had taken “every step necessary to protect sensitive information.”

“We will continue to respond to the dangers posed by the PRC with determination and firmness (…) We will make it clear to the PRC that violations of our sovereignty and the sovereignty of other countries are unacceptable,” he said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also expressed concern over China’s alleged spying activities, recalling that Beijing had invested heavily in recent years to acquire new military capabilities.

“We have also seen an increase in Chinese espionage activities in Europe. They use satellites, the Internet and, as we have seen over the United States, balloons,” he said, calling for “constant vigilance.”

They look for the remains of the balloon in the ocean

US authorities began picking up remains of the balloon in the Atlantic, near the South Carolina coast. Some remains of the balloon that were recovered intact from the ocean floor could be of great value. However, this Thursday, they temporarily suspended their activity due to high tide.

A State Department official explained that an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that veered off course.

With AFP, Reuters and AP