“China expresses strong displeasure and protests against US use of force to attack unmanned civilian airship.” This is what the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes in a statement on the night of Sunday about the Americans’ decision to shoot down the balloon that has been hovering over the United States. The Chinese Foreign Ministry believes that US officials have said that the balloon did not pose a military threat. They therefore argue that the shooting is an overreaction, and a breach of international practice. “China will defend the legitimate rights and interests of the company involved, and reserves the right to make further responses,” writes China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the New York Times. While US authorities have called it a spy balloon capable of gathering intelligence, China has said it is a weather balloon that has gone off course. Shot down on Saturday evening The balloon was shot down by an F-22 Raptor fighter jet, according to the Pentagon. US President Joe Biden stated shortly after that he would shoot the balloon down as soon as possible when he was informed on Wednesday. But the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin advised against it because they were afraid of casualties on the ground. They then agreed to shoot it down over the Atlantic Ocean, once it was out of danger of harming anyone. An operation is underway to salvage the wreckage. The Americans should be interested in studying the balloon. On Saturday evening, ABC News reported that air traffic was suspended in parts of North and South Carolina. An area of 250 square kilometers was temporarily closed. In recent days, the balloon, which is just under 40 meters in diameter, has been hovering over the American mainland. The balloon was first observed in the US state of Montana. Close-ups of the balloon show it carrying a package of instruments. Solar panels seem to provide energy. Photo: Megan Nelson US authorities believe it is a spy balloon, while China claims it is a stray weather balloon. The wind direction suggests that the balloon came from the central part of China. The Americans have been communicating with the Chinese about the balloon for the last few days. What is a spy balloon? There are no people on board, and the balloon has no engine either. However, it is equipped with solar panels, according to the US authorities. – The solar panels generate electricity, which allows an operator to control the balloon, says former intelligence officer, Cedric Leighton, to CNN. In theory, this means that the balloon can reach any destination, since the solar panels have unlimited flight time, writes Forbes. A video filmed in Montana purports to show the suspected Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over the United States for several days. According to the Reuters news agency, a modern spy balloon is usually filled with helium and an instrument package, which may contain cameras, radars, sensors and communication equipment. – There are cameras that can be used for surveillance and espionage. They can also be equipped with sensors that can be used to eavesdrop on mobile phones, says researcher Caitlin Lee to CNN. According to the US Department of Defense, the balloon carries surveillance equipment. Surveillance balloons can scan an area from a distance, similar to satellites in space. But the spy balloons are far cheaper to use. In addition, you avoid sending them into the atmosphere, writes Danske Radio. They do not make noise and they fly so high into the air that they are difficult to reach. Photos of the Chinese balloon hovering over the United States. The photo was taken when it was over Billings in Montana. Photo: Larry Mayer / AP Not the first time American authorities are said to have had knowledge of the balloon over a certain period of time. They must have observed it before it entered the North American mainland. – This is not the first time this has happened. We have observed this type of activity on several occasions in recent years, says Ministry of Defense spokesperson Patrick Ryder. What stands out this time is how long the balloon has stayed in American airspace.
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