China: Expert discusses Xi Jinping's internal policing
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US officials revealed that a Chinese aircraft "intentionally" flew over the US this week, despite People's Republic of China's claims that it was a weather balloon that had blown off course. It has been identified as a Chinese surveillance aircraft, according to a senior defence official.
The decision for China to fly a surveillance balloon over the US has been described as a "bold" move by a senior US government official, who said it was a "clear and unacceptable violation of US sovereignty."
The defence official told Fox News on Friday that the balloon was launched from mainland China.
The Pentagon does not believe that this was a "civilian airship" that flew off course despite Chinese officials' claims earlier today.
China's foreign ministry claimed responsibility for the aircraft, saying in a statement on Friday: "The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes.
China claimed the aircraft was a weather balloon (Image: Getty/Google Maps)
“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to force majeure. The Chinese side will continue communicating with the US side and properly handle this unexpected situation caused by force majeure."
But the US official said there was no "force majeure" that caused the Chinese surveillance balloon to enter US airspace: "This was intentional," they said.
The US does not fly spy aircraft over China, the defence official emphasised.
Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryde is confident the balloon is for surveillance, confirming that it is moving eastward at an altitude of about 60,000 feet and has the ability to manoeuvre.
Biden has so far decided to avoid shooting the baloon down (Image: Getty)
US officials say it is a Chinese surveillance balloon (Image: AP)
Some Republican officials including former President Trump have called on President Joe Biden to shoot the aircraft down from the sky.
Biden hasn't "ruled out" shooting down the balloon but wants to avoid the possibility of American civilian casualties, Fox News reported.
The aircraft is believed to be the size of three buses and has heavy equipment hanging underneath it.
For now, the decision has been taken to avoid shooting it down. A separate official said: "To all those who say ‘just shoot it down'. There’s a lot of empty space in Montana. There are also a lot of schools. It is not unpopulated.
The Pentagon has been tracking the balloon for days (Image: Getty)
"What happens when this balloon, which is carrying heavy equipment and is the size of at least two school buses, lands on someone’s home or on a kindergarten?"
The official added: "If we shoot it down, the balloon and the equipment on board will plunge to earth at meteoric speed."
The Chinese surveillance was spotted flying over Montana on Thursday as officials warn the balloon was sent by Beijing to spy on sensitive sites in Montana - one of three bases where the US houses its intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear missile silos.
Ryder said this kind of balloon activity had been observed before and that once it was identified, the government "acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information."