Status: 03.02.2023 3:48 p.m
The US government is certain: The Chinese balloon sighted over Montana was used for espionage. The government in Beijing, on the other hand, has now declared that a civilian Chinese “airship” has strayed into US airspace.
After the sighting of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the United States, the Chinese government has now spoken out. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing denied that it was a surveillance action. However, it did admit that a Chinese civilian “airship” flew over US territory. The research balloon serves civilian meteorological and other scientific purposes. He had limited steering ability and was “deviated far from his planned course” due to winds.
The State Department regrets the incident. China will continue to communicate with the US and deal appropriately with this “unexpected situation”.
A suspected Chinese spy balloon is circling over the United States
Torben Börgers, ARD Washington, daily news at 12:00 p.m., February 3, 2023
sighting over Montana
The balloon sighting came just before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to visit Beijing over the weekend. The US military had discovered him over the state of Montana in the north-west of the USA. The Pentagon said it considered shooting it down, but decided against it because of the danger of falling debris.
After the discovery of the balloon, the government took immediate action to prevent the disclosure of classified information, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said.
According to the Wall Street Journal, 150 Minuteman III ICBMs equipped with nuclear warheads are stored at a US Air Force base in northern Montana. Such locations are usually shielded, the newspaper reported, citing a senior defense official. The balloon’s spy systems still provide “limited value” compared to information that China can gather with low-Earth satellites.
Similar incidents have occurred in the past, the Pentagon said. The difference this time is that the balloon stayed longer than usual over the United States. The balloon poses no military threat or danger to people on the ground, spokesman Ryder said. It is also not dangerous for airplanes because of its high altitude.
Suspected Chinese spy balloon sighted over US
Nina Barth, ARD Washington, February 3, 2023 6:35 a.m