The Chinese language spy balloon that transited throughout the U.S. earlier than it was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday is a part of a “bigger Chinese language surveillance balloon program” that has operated for a number of years and over a number of continents, the Pentagon stated Wednesday.
“As you spotlight, we’re conscious that there have been 4 earlier balloons which have gone over U.S. territory,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder stated throughout a briefing on Wednesday.
“We all know that they have been seeking to surveil strategic websites, to incorporate a few of our strategic bases within the continental United States,” Ryder stated later within the briefing. “And so while you have a look at the scope of this program and the truth that we all know that these balloons have been noticed, and what we now can subsequently assess to be Chinese language balloons working over at the least 5 continents.”
The latest balloon flew over or close to 4 army websites in Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and Missouri after it first entered U.S. airspace on Jan. 28. Earlier balloons have flown over components of Hawaii, Texas and Florida — three throughout the Trump administration and one originally of the Biden administration.
The Pentagon in a press release Friday stated that one other Chinese language surveillance balloon was seen over Latin America.
A senior administration official stated the 2 current balloons had surveillance gear that may not normally be related to meteorological actions or civilian analysis, which is what the Chinese language authorities has maintained the balloon over the U.S. had been doing and veered astray.
China’s balloon program is “designed to reinforce” its surveillance capabilities, Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed CBS Information on Wednesday. With the latest balloon, the Pentagon took steps to guard nuclear forces throughout the nation from the balloon’s surveillance.
“Definitely all of our strategic property, we made certain have been buttoned down and motion was restricted and communications have been restricted in order that we didn’t expose any functionality unnecessarily,” Austin stated.
The balloons are simpler to maneuver and may stay over an space longer than a satellite tv for pc in orbit, in accordance with a senior administration official.
The U.S. has additionally briefed its allies on this system. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held a briefing Monday in regards to the balloon incident for about 150 employees from roughly 40 embassies, a senior administration official confirmed. Within the briefing, it was revealed that one balloon circumnavigated the globe in 2019, passing by Hawaii and over Florida, the official stated. Balloons have been additionally flown over Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.
Requested by PBS Newshour on Wednesday if the balloon incident has broken U.S.-China relations, President Joe Biden rapidly dismissed the concept with a “no.”
Mr. Biden stated that’s as a result of he and his workforce speak to Chinese language management, though Mr. Biden famous he hasn’t spoken with the Chinese language President Xi Jinping for the reason that incident.
“I haven’t talked to him throughout this. However look, I imply, the concept, capturing down a balloon that’s gathering data over America … and that makes relations worse?” the president stated with fun. “Look, I made it actual clear to Xi Jinping that we’re going to compete totally with China. However we’re not going to — we’re not in search of battle. And that’s been the case to date.”
After the balloon was shot down, Austin tried to name his Chinese language counterpart.
“I put in a request for a name,” Austin instructed CBS Information. “And and they didn’t settle for that request.”
David Martin, Margaret Brennan, Ed O’Keefe, Eleanor Watson and Kathryn Watson contributed reporting.
