- Foreign Policy
VIVA – China's spy balloon case has angered the United States (US). This is evidenced by the postponement of United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing indefinitely. Previously, Blinken called China's actions 'irresponsible and unacceptable'.
He said that the world expects the United Statest and China to manage their relationship responsibly. "The US does it and expects the same from China," he said, as quoted by the DW website, Tuesday, February 7, 2023.
However, China insists that the balloons seen over the skies of the United States are misdirected civilian devices, with limited self-control capabilities. The hot air balloon was reportedly used for meteorological surveys, but the wind had blown it off track.
"We have never violated the territory and airspace of any sovereign country," said the official statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. However, the US said that it was undoubtedly a Chinese spy balloon with a size of approximately three buses.
Jet tempur AS menembak jatuh balon mata-mata China di perairan Carolina, AS
- Chad Fish via AP
According to a US Department of Defense (Pentagon) report, the balloon carries sensors and surveillance equipment, is maneuverable, and has shown that it can change direction.
International security expert Ian Chong said that while not much is known about the balloons, they could be used to collect a variety of data.
"These hot air balloons generally have various functions. They can do anything. From imaging, collecting samples from the air to collecting signals intelligence," Chong said.
Meanwhile, Wen-Ti Sung, an analyst from the Australian National University, said that the incident showed 'how shaky' the relationship between the United States and China was. He sees that China also needs to find ways to improve relations with US lawmakers.
This is because the US State Department statement noted that the postponement of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit was decided after consultation with Congress.
"This indicates that the main reason behind the US decision to postpone the trip is related to Congressional pressure," Wen said. At present, both countries say they will continue to maintain open channels of communication.
