China Accused of Espionage: Balloon Spotted Over Sensitive US Sites

Recent sightings of what appears to be a Chinese surveillance balloon over sensitive locations are being investigated by the United States military. Officials from the Department of Defense are sure that China owns the high-altitude balloon. It was most recently seen in the sky over Montana, in the western United States. Despite this, the military has decided not to shoot it down because of the risk that falling debris could pose. China has warned against speculation and “hype” until the facts can be verified. In the meantime, Canada has announced that it is keeping an eye out for “a potential second incident” involving a surveillance balloon. However, Canada has not specified which nation might be responsible for the incident. Following its passage through Canada, the mysterious object materialized over Billings, Montana. It had previously flown over the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. There was a possibility that the White House might give the order to shoot down the balloon, so fighter jets, including F-22s, were on standby. The United States and China have had discussions about the issue, and a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that China is currently attempting to verify the reports. Although it is unlikely that the balloon will provide much more information than what China can already collect with satellites, it is anticipated that it will increase tensions in the lead-up to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China the following week.