02/13/2023

China Accuses U.S. of Flying Spy Balloons into Chinese Airspace

They say it's occurred more than 10 times

Today, China claimed that the United States flew spy balloons into Chinese airspace more than 10 times since January 2022 without Beijing's permission, accusations that further ratcheted up tensions between the two countries amid mutual allegations of surveillance.

U.S.-China relations are already on edge after the U.S. shot down a large, high-altitude balloon Feb. 4 that it says was set aloft by China and which a State Department official says was part of a "fleet" of Chinese military balloons designed to conduct surveillance. China said the balloon was a civilian airship that drifted astray by accident.

China is now countering U.S. claims more vociferously with accusations of its own. At a regular press briefing on Monday in Beijing, Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, claimed that it is "common for U.S. balloons to illegally enter other countries' airspace."

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