– We have received reports of a balloon flying over Latin America. We consider it to be another Chinese surveillance balloon, says press secretary Patrick Ryder in a statement. It is not clear where over South America the balloon is located. However, a US official tells CNN that it does not appear to be headed for the US at the moment. Late Thursday, US authorities reported what they believe to be a Chinese spy balloon flying over the US. The balloon has also been observed over Canada. This balloon appears to be heading east over the central United States. – Accident China has said that the balloon’s presence over the USA is due to the wind, and is an “accident”. In a statement from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, they blame force majeure. – The Chinese side apologizes that the aircraft inadvertently entered the United States due to force majeure. We will continue to communicate with the American side and handle this unexpected situation, created by force majeure, in an appropriate manner, says a spokesperson, according to the Global Times newspaper. At the same time, they accuse American politicians and the media of exploiting the situation with what the US has called a suspected spy balloon to discredit China. – China has always complied with international law and respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Saturday. – We have no intention of violating another country’s territory or airspace, said spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning at a press conference yesterday. Photo: THOMAS PETER / Reuters Previously, China has said that the aircraft, as they call it, is a weather balloon that has gone astray. – We have no intention of violating another country’s territory or airspace, said spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, at a press conference in Beijing yesterday. According to the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon, there is a large payload, described as surveillance equipment, hanging below the balloon. Contact There has been contact between China and the US foreign ministers, both countries confirm. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, they spoke on the phone on Friday evening and discussed how to deal with such accidents in a calm and professional manner. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Blinken that both parties must communicate to avoid misjudgments, according to the ministry. – Violation of international law US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that he made it clear to Wang that the balloon’s presence is a clear violation of international law. On Friday, Blinken announced that he has put a planned visit to China on hold for the time being, but that he will make the trip when conditions permit. – The first thing we have to do now is get the surveillance balloon out of our airspace. That is what we focus on, says Blinken. High above the ground, the Pentagon says that the balloon poses no danger to people on the ground and that there are no signs that it has radioactive or nuclear material on board. The unwelcome craft will probably be over the US for several days. It flies around 60,000 feet above the ground, far higher than commercial air traffic. The Pentagon says it has seen similar activity before, but not as prolonged. According to the Pentagon, they considered shooting down the balloon, but chose not to because of safety concerns for people on the ground.
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