Beijing tells US to investigate balloons allegedly flown over China
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Feb 14, 2023

China urged the United States on Tuesday to conduct a "thorough investigation" into what Beijing claims was a string of incursions into its airspace by US balloons.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have nosedived following the shooting down of what the US alleges was a Chinese spy balloon -- China insisted it was an errant weather observation aircraft with no military purpose.

A number of unidentified aerial objects have subsequently been shot down over North America, though the US has not attributed them to China.

On Tuesday, Beijing doubled down on unsubstantiated allegations that the US has sent over 10 balloons since last year.

"The US has launched several high-altitude balloons from the US that made continuous round-the-world flights, illegally flying over the airspace of China and other countries on at least 10 occasions," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.

"The US side should conduct a thorough investigation and give an explanation to China," he added.

Wang did not provide evidence of the alleged incursions, which he said started in May 2022.

He previously told journalists the incursions began in January that year.

Washington has denied Beijing's claims that it sent observation devices into Chinese airspace.

The US government alleges the balloon it shot down on February 4 was part of an ongoing, global "fleet" of Chinese espionage balloons.

It says the balloon was obviously a spy craft and that the debris is currently being plucked from the Atlantic Ocean for analysis.

Crews have recovered important sensor and electronics parts from the balloon, as well as large parts of the structure, the US military said Monday.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday the US is "not flying surveillance balloons over China".

"I'm not aware of any other craft that we're flying over into Chinese airspace," he said.

US recovers sensor parts from downed Chinese balloon: military
Washington (AFP) Feb 14, 2023 - The United States has recovered important sensor and electronics parts from a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon it shot down earlier this month, the US military said on Monday.

"Crews have been able to recover significant debris from the site, including all of the priority sensor and electronics pieces identified as well as large sections of the structure," the US Northern Command said in a statement.

China insists the balloon, which spent several days flying over North America, was an errant weather observation aircraft with no military purpose, but the United States says it was a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle that is part of a program with global reach.

A US F-22 Raptor fighter jet shot it down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, and teams have since been working to recover the debris for analysis.

American warplanes have downed three other objects since then -- one near Alaska, another over Canada and a third over Lake Huron -- but authorities have not identified their origin or purpose.

China accuses US of sending balloons into its airspace
Beijing (AFP) Feb 13, 2023 - China accused the United States on Monday of flying balloons over its territory, hitting back against Washington's claims that Beijing has been sending alleged surveillance aircraft.

Relations between the United States and China have further soured after Washington shot down an alleged Chinese espionage device in early February, which Beijing has insisted was for civilian purposes.

A number of other such devices have since been shot down over the US and Canada, though Beijing has only admitted that the first was one of its own.

Over the weekend, Chinese state-affiliated media reported that an unidentified flying object had been spotted off the country's east coast -- and that the military was preparing to shoot it down.

Beijing on Monday declined to comment on that report, only referring journalists to the defence ministry, which did not respond to requests for comment from AFP.

But it did accuse the United States of sending more than 10 balloons into its airspace since January 2022.

"It's not uncommon as well for the US to illegally enter the airspace of other countries," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said during a briefing.

"Since last year alone, US balloons have illegally flown above China more than 10 times without any approval from Chinese authorities."

Asked how China responded to those alleged incursions, Wang said Beijing's "handling (of these incidents) was responsible and professional".

"If you want to know more about US high-altitude balloons illegally entering China's airspace, I suggest you refer to the US side," he added.

AFP has contacted the US State Department and the Pentagon for comment on Beijing's allegations, but has yet to receive a response.

- Watching the skies -

Americans have been watching the skies as a growing number of aerial incursions are reported -- of which Beijing on Monday denied knowledge.

On Sunday the Pentagon said that it does not yet know what the other three objects -- one shot down Friday over Alaska, one Saturday over Canada's Yukon territory, and the most recent one Sunday over Lake Huron -- are.

But it said the object downed Sunday had been tracked for nearly a day and did not resemble the alleged Chinese surveillance balloon that was destroyed off the Atlantic coast on February 4 after traversing the country.

President Joe Biden ordered a F-16 fighter to shoot down the latest object "out of abundance of caution", a senior administration official said.

The object was described by the official as an octagonal structure with strings hanging off it.

Drifting at about 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) over Michigan, it could have posed a hazard to civil aviation, the official said.

US Northern Command Commander General Glen VanHerck told reporters that after aircraft were sent up to inspect the newest object, they concluded that there was no indication of any threat, the same with the previous objects.

"What we are seeing is very, very small objects that produce a very, very low radar cross section," he said.

He declined to describe the shape or size of the objects, but said they were travelling very slowly, around the speed of the wind.

Speculation as to what the objects may be has ignited in recent days.

"I will let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out," VanHerck told reporters when asked if it was possible the objects are aliens or extra-terrestrials.

"I haven't ruled out anything at this point."

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