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Published: Feb 6, 2023
Updated: Feb 6, 2023

U.S. Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon , a move worsening US China relations

The U.S. military has shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the east coast of the country. According to the Pentagon, the balloon was caught spying on sensitive military sites across North America. The U.S. President Joe Biden and his national security team deemed this violation of sovereignty as "unacceptable" and took action to protect American safety and security.

Biden Vows to Take Care of Balloon Incident

Hours before the balloon was shot down, President Biden spoke to reporters about the issue. When asked for comment on relations with China and the balloon incident, he simply stated, "We're gonna take care of it."

China Claims Balloon Was for Climate Research

The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that the balloon belonged to China but claimed it was for civilian climate research and had accidentally strayed off course. The white orb had been detected entering U.S. airspace on January 28th and was spotted over Montana, a site of intercontinental-ballistic-missile silos, before making its way to North Carolina.

Precautions Taken to Avoid Ground Damage

U.S. officials did not immediately shoot down the balloon out of concern for people and property on the ground. The operation to bring it down was planned to ensure that all debris would fall into the ocean, and ships were deployed to recover as much of the debris as possible.

China calls out US shooting down its balloon over reaction

The U.S. has taken a strong stance against perceived violations of its sovereignty by shooting down the suspected Chinese spy balloon. President Biden has made it clear that the safety and security of the American people will always be a top priority for his administration.