Spy Balloon Causes Tension Between China and The U.S.

On Saturday, February 4th, a Chinese spy balloon was shot down near the coast of South Carolina. The balloon first entered the US Air Defense Zone on January 28th, then moved across Alaska before entering Canada on Monday. It re-entered the US over Idaho on Tuesday. As it maneuvered across the country, it passed over many sensitive sites, including Malmstrom Air Force base in Cascade County, Montana, which houses nuclear missile silos.

The balloon spent five days in US airspace before it was shot down. US officials say the balloon was outfitted with solar panels, cameras, surveillance equipment, and propellers. The balloon was 200 feet tall and weighed a couple thousand pounds. To avoid civilian injuries and property damage, the Pentagon waited until the balloon reached the water to shoot it down over the Atlantic.

The encounter has caused a rift in diplomatic relations between the US and China. The Chinese foreign minister expressed intense resentment toward the downing of the balloon, claiming that it was a civilian weather balloon which had floated off course.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was set to visit Beijing to foster improved diplomacy between the US and China, and this would have been the first visit to China from a member of President Biden’s Cabinet. However, he postponed his trip, calling the balloon an atrocious act by China. Blinken refused to say when he may reschedule his visit.

US officials say that this balloon is one of many in China’s surveillance infrastructure.

Multiple balloons have previously entered US airspace: three times during the Trump administration and once during the Biden administration.

The fleet of Chinese surveillance balloons is thought to have executed dozens of missions since 2018 including over Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South America. Last week, US officials briefed 40 countries that have supposedly been victims of Chinese spy balloons in recent years. The balloons are mainly used for surveillance of military and nuclear sites.

The use of balloons may seem odd or old-fashioned, but there are many advantages to using balloons over satellites for surveillance. While satellites follow regular patterns around the globe, balloons follow wind patterns, which are not as predictable as fixed satellite orbits — this can help balloons evade radar. Additionally, satellites are constantly moving, but balloons can hover over areas of importance and gather signals that do not reach satellites and take clearer images.