A Chinese intelligence gathering balloon is collecting information over the continental United States “right now,” according to US officials, who acknowledge that the Pentagon has been monitoring the craft for several days and briefly considered shooting it down before deciding that doing so would pose a safety risk.
The balloon is flying at an altitude “well above commercial air traffic and does not pose a military or physical threat to people on the ground,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, during a hastily organised news conference to address the ongoing situation. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is still tracking the balloon’s path, but officials would not say where it is now.
The human resource capital comes at a time of high tension between the world powers, and just hours before Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to leave for Beijing, where he will meet with senior Chinese officials. The high-stakes visit, Blinken’s first as the US’ top diplomat, aims to stabilise the US-China relationship, a task that may become more difficult following the espionage aircraft’s appearance in US airspace.
The State Department and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.