The US has recently shot down four unidentified objects flying in its airspace jurisdiction this month. Concerns are growing over spying efforts, after Chinese officials admitted that the first spy balloon belonged to them.
The fourth flying object over Lake Huron on the US-Canadian border was brought down by fighter jets on Sunday. US President Joe Biden approved the order when the pentagon observed it flying near sensitive military sites.
While Beijing acknowledged that the balloon was theirs they denounced the US military’s claims insisting that the airship was for meteorological and scientific research.
US military officials claimed that the airship’s proximity to key military installations might have been used for eavesdropping. They waited to hit the flying object when it flew over the ocean after there were worries that the missile's altitude and flight path would have interfered with commercial air traffic.
In the past two weeks, the flying objects were present in South Carolina, Alaska and Canada. The most recent object may be a "gaseous type of balloon" or "some type of propulsion system," according to a US military commander.
China explained that the first event involved a meteorological tracker that had been thrown off course. However, according to US authorities, they think the balloon is a component of a global surveillance programme that spans five continents.
Richard Holden, the Minister for Roads and Local Transport spoke with Sky News stating that China is a hostile state and the government must be firm in their interactions with them.
The government made the decision to initiate a security review into the surveillance concerns
and Holden stated that it is probable that Chinese spy balloons have already flown over the UK.
Ben Wallace, the defence secretary of the UK military announced that the government would examine spy balloon security on Sunday. He promised to examine intelligence and evaluate the threats Chinese forces pose alongside the US and other close allies.
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner welcomed the review, telling Sky News, "National security has got to be absolutely paramount.” She then went on to say that the UK has to remain vigilant and ensure that military and security services get the support they need.
A Department of State official said that the first balloon, which was shot down by a US fighter jet, was “equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors”. It also stated that the device's manufacturer is thought to have business ties to the Chinese military.
Mao Ning, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, has denounced the charges. She said that the surveillance claims were “probably part of the information and public opinion warfare the US has waged on China”.
Share This Post On
0 comments
Leave a comment
You need to login to leave a comment. Log-in
