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Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes. Part of the reason for the repeated shootdowns is a 201cheightened alert 201d following the alleged Chinese spy balloon, Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command, said in a briefing with reporters. The United States has since placed economic restrictions on six Chinese entities it said are linked to Beijing 2019s aerospace programs as part of its response to the incident. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated her nation 2019s insistence the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course and that the US had 201coverreacted 201d by shooting it down. The latest accusations, she said, 201cmay be part of the US side 2019s information warfare against China. 201d. The Pentagon said China 2019s defence minister refused to take a phone call from Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the balloon on Saturday and China has not answered questions as to what government department or company the balloon belonged to, or how it planned to follow up on a pledge to take further action over the matter. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese balloon shot down over the United States was part of a huge, military-linked aerial spy scheme targeting more than 40 countries, according to the US government. The Biden administration said the balloon was equipped to collect intelligence signals and was part of a fleet of balloons controlled by the Chinese People 2019s Liberation Army for spying. A statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China 2019s military to the balloon shot down last weekend over the Atlantic Ocean. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | A US fighter jet shot the balloon down over the Atlantic on Saturday after it had crossed much of the country, overflying areas where the US keeps nuclear missiles in underground silos and bases strategic bombers. The incident led US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel an imminent trip to Beijing that had been long in planning and aimed at improving communications between the two rival superpowers. The official indicated that the US believes the balloon was under the control of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and is part of a fleet of balloons that China has sent over more than 40 countries on five continents to collect intelligence information. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The United States has shot down a large Chinese balloon that floated across the country. The US believes China used the balloon for spying. Relations between the two countries were already tense. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | A senior US official said on Thursday that the balloon that was shot down by the US last week was part of a fleet of balloons that Beijing sent over 40 countries on five continents to collect intelligence information. Beijing has said the balloon spotted over the US last week was for 201cmeteorological 201d purposes, and strongly condemned its downing. The US State Department official said in a statement that detailed images showed that the balloon 201cwas clearly for intelligence surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment onboard weather balloons. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Beijing has repeatedly insisted that the US 201coverreacted 201d by downing the high-altitude balloon over the Atlantic Ocean with a single air-to-air missile fired from an F-22 Raptor earlier this month. 201cChina is strongly opposed to this and will take countermeasures in accordance with law against relevant US entities that have undermined China 2019s sovereignty and security to firmly safeguard China 2019s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, 201d Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press briefing. Wenbin did not specify the 201ccountermeasures 201d that Beijing would take and accused the US of using the balloon incident 201cas an excuse to impose illegal sanctions over Chinese companies and institutions. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China says the balloon shot down by the U.S. was an unmanned airship made for meteorological research that had been blown off course. It has accused the U.S. of overreacting by shooting it down and threatened to take unspecified action in response. Following the incident, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a visit to Beijing that many had hoped would put the brakes on the sharp decline in relations over Taiwan, trade, human rights and threatening Chinese actions in the disputed South China Sea. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese balloon was first spotted over Montana, then it traversed the country before it was shot down by US fighter aircraft. US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in a statement on Saturday said that US fighter aircraft assigned to US Northern Command successfully shot down the high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to China over the water off the coast of South Carolina in US airspace. He said that the balloon which was used by China in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental US was shot down above US territorial waters. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The United States has shot down a large Chinese balloon that floated across the country. The US believes China used the balloon for spying. Above, the Chinese balloon drifting over Myrtle Beach shortly before being shot down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China on Wednesday threatened to punish the United States by taking 201ccountermeasures 201d against it for the 00a0shooting down of its massive balloon 00a0that the Pentagon says was being used to try to surveil sensitive military sites. Beijing has repeatedly insisted that the US 201coverreacted 201d by downing the high-altitude balloon over the Atlantic Ocean with a single air-to-air missile fired from an F-22 Raptor earlier this month. 201cChina is strongly opposed to this and will take countermeasures in accordance with law against relevant US entities that have undermined China 2019s sovereignty and security to firmly safeguard China 2019s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, 201d Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press briefing. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China's Foreign Ministry has accused the US of "overreacting" and "seriously violating international practice" in shooting down the Chinese balloon, while the Chinese Defense Ministry has said it "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations.". On Sunday evening, Chinese social media was filled with excitement, with many users waiting for the object floating off China's coast to be taken down. "Thanks to the demonstration made by the US, we must report it in a high-profile manner when we shoot down (the object)," said a top comment on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Wenbin did not specify the 201ccountermeasures 201d that Beijing would take and accused the US of using the balloon incident 201cas an excuse to impose illegal sanctions over Chinese companies and institutions. 201d. In the aftermath of the February 4 downing of the balloon, the Biden administration said that the Chinese military has targeted more than 40 countries across five continents with balloons like the one the US shot down. Additionally, the US sanctioned six Chinese entities 201cfor supporting 201d Beijing 2019s 201cmilitary modernization efforts, specifically those related to aerospace programs, including airships and balloons. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | 201cChina is strongly opposed to this and will take countermeasures in accordance with law against relevant US entities that have undermined China 2019s sovereignty and security to firmly safeguard China 2019s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, 201d Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press briefing. Wenbin did not specify the 201ccountermeasures 201d that Beijing would take and accused the US of using the balloon incident 201cas an excuse to impose illegal sanctions over Chinese companies and institutions. 201d. In the aftermath of the February 4 downing of the balloon, the Biden administration said that the Chinese military has targeted more than 40 countries across five continents with balloons like the one the US shot down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China has expressed its 201cstrong dissatisfaction and protest 201d against the United States 2019 decision to shoot down its high-altitude balloon, accusing it of 201coverreacting 201d and 201cseriously violating international practice. 201d. US military fighter jets on Saturday shot down the balloon over the Atlantic Ocean in a mission President Joe Biden hailed as a success. The United States believes the balloon was involved in espionage, but China has refuted this, insisting it was a civilian research vessel blown off course. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | US officials believe a Chinese balloon that was shot down after crossing the continental United States originally had a trajectory that would have taken it over Guam and Hawaii but was blown off course by prevailing winds, a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday. The balloon, which Washington accuses Beijing of using for surveillance and China says was a civilian research vessel, drifted across Alaska 2019s Aleutian Islands, then Canada and the central United States before it was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. The incident has further strained US-China relations and prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit to Beijing last week. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | His visit was meant to 201cbuild a floor 201d under the fraught bilateral relationship. In light of reports that China declined a request to have a phone call with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Saturday after the balloon was shot down, Ryder stressed that 201cwe 2019re going to continue to keep the lines of communication open on our end 201d. Ryder on Wednesday expressed confidence that the balloon flying over the US was for surveillance purposes, refuting Beijing 2019s claim it was an 201cunmanned civilian airship 201d. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | In light of reports that China declined a request to have a phone call with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Saturday after the balloon was shot down, Ryder stressed that 201cwe 2019re going to continue to keep the lines of communication open on our end 201d. Ryder on Wednesday expressed confidence that the balloon flying over the US was for surveillance purposes, refuting Beijing 2019s claim it was an 201cunmanned civilian airship 201d. 201cIf in fact, it was a civilian balloon, a weather balloon, and it was approaching a sovereign nation about to enter their airspace, a responsible nation would have put out some kind of public statement saying, 2018hey, heads up, this is heading your way 2019, 201d Ryder said. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | It was the fourth such downing in eight days in an extraordinary chain of events over U.S. airspace that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent. The Chinese balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes. Part of the reason for the repeated shootdowns is a 201cheightened alert 201d following the alleged Chinese spy balloon, Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command, said in a briefing with reporters. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The US says the balloon was a surveillance device and called its voyage across the country a violation of US territory. Officials have said they felt no obligation to tell China before a US fighter jet shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina. China rebuffed the Pentagon when it tried to arrange a phone call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and China 2019s defense minister after the US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon, a Defense Department spokesman said. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | US officials believe a Chinese balloon that was shot down after crossing the continental United States originally had a trajectory that would have taken it over Guam and Hawaii but was blown off course by prevailing winds, a US official speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday. The balloon, which Washington accuses Beijing of using for surveillance and China says was a civilian research vessel, drifted across Alaska 2019s Aleutian Islands, then Canada and the central United States before it was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. The incident has further strained US-China relations and prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit to Beijing last week. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The US decided to shoot a Chinese balloon which the US claims was a surveillance device hovering over their nuclear facilities in Montana. The incident has sparked outrage in China, with the Chinese government calling the shooting a 201cprovocative act 201d and demanding an explanation from the US. The latter, on the other hand, has defended its actions, stating that the balloon posed a potential threat to national security. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese government spokesperson also demanded that the US 201cstop smearing and attacking China and stop misleading the US public and the international community. 201d. A China expert previously told Insider that the balloon that floated above America and sparked a diplomatic crisis was a 201cclumsy 201d move by Beijing that 201cput a missile 201d through an already strained relationship with the US. The incident symbolized 201cfor everyone in the world, particularly in America, that we are in an increasingly hostile relationship, 201d said Orville Schell, the director of the Center on US-China Relations at Asia Society in New York. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese balloon spotted and shot down last week by the US forms part of a multi-country surveillance programme Beijing has developed over 201cseveral years 201d, according to a senior White House official. The unstaffed balloon flying above American skies pointed to a 201cconcerted effort 201d by China to develop its capability for additional surveillance assets over countries without their permission and knowledge, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. 201cThis is a programme that the Chinese have been working on for several years. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Although Beijing has admitted that the downed balloon belonged to China, it has insisted it was a weather balloon that blew off course. 201cWe are firmly opposed to what the US has done and urge the US not to take further actions that could undermine China 2019s interests or escalate tensions, 201d Wenbin said on Wednesday. The Chinese government spokesperson also demanded that the US 201cstop smearing and attacking China and stop misleading the US public and the international community. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | 201cIt is China that has a high-altitude surveillance balloon programme for intelligence collection that it has used to violate the sovereignty of the US and over 40 countries across five continents, 201d National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said. 201cThis is the latest example of China scrambling to do damage control, 201d she added, noting that China, which claims the balloon that was shot down was a weather-monitoring platform, has failed to offer any 201ccredible explanations 201d for intruding into other countries 2019 airspace. While the Chinese balloon drifted across the US for several days, it caused a political furore in the country, with Republicans accusing President Joe Biden of being too slow to shoot it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | He was asked by Western journalists about Washington 2019s accusation that China flew 201cspy balloons 201d over other nations, including the US.A Chinese balloon shot down by the US Air Force earlier this month, had strayed off course due to force majeure, Wang stated. The spokesman described the use of force by the US as an 201coverreaction, 201d before accusing the US of abusing advanced technologies in its possession to conduct indiscriminate surveillance and espionage operations around the world, including against its own allies.Wang recalled Obama-era revelations about the NSA 2019s mass electronic surveillance program and the tapping of phones used by leaders of European nations, such as Germany, to argue the US should be considered the world 2019s 201cbiggest spy and surveillance empire. 201dUS National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson called the allegation 201cfalse 201d and reiterated Washington 2019s accusation that Beijing ran a system of global surveillance using high-altitude balloons. The original 201cspy balloon 201d traversed the US for around eight days in early February, becoming a major news story, with political opponents of President Joe Biden accusing his administration of indecisiveness over its initial failure to take down the unmanned aircraft. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | 201cWe are firmly opposed to what the US has done and urge the US not to take further actions that could undermine China 2019s interests or escalate tensions, 201d Wenbin said on Wednesday. The Chinese government spokesperson also demanded that the US 201cstop smearing and attacking China and stop misleading the US public and the international community. 201d. A China expert previously told Insider that the balloon that floated above America and sparked a diplomatic crisis was a 201cclumsy 201d move by Beijing that 201cput a missile 201d through an already strained relationship with the US. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the weekend after the balloon made its way across the continental US to the Atlantic Ocean. Beijing claims it was a weather balloon that belonged to a private Chinese company. The US is currently trying to retrieve the balloon, which was shot down in US air space over the Atlantic, but says the balloon was significantly larger than any weather balloons and that it was believed to be carrying spy equipment. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the weekend after the balloon made its way across the continental US to the Atlantic Ocean. Beijing claims it was a weather balloon that belonged to a private Chinese company. The US is currently trying to retrieve the balloon, which was shot down in US air space over the Atlantic, but says the balloon was significantly larger than any weather balloons and that it was believed to be carrying spy equipment. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | BEIJING 2014 China on Thursday said U.S. accusations that a downed Chinese balloon was part of an extensive surveillance program amount to 201cinformation warfare against China. 201d. The Pentagon on Wednesday said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a program involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for 201cseveral years. 201d. At Thursday's daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated China 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the U.S. had 201coverreacted" by shooting it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | On Friday, a US military fighter jet shot down an unknown object flying off the remote northern coast of Alaska on orders from US President Joe Biden. The object was downed because it reportedly posed a threat to the safety of civilian flights, instead of any knowledge that it was engaged in surveillance. But the twin incidents in such close succession reflect heightened concerns over China 2019s surveillance programme and public pressure on Mr Biden to take a tough stand against it. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Nevertheless, the Chinese Ministry of Defence accused the US of executing an 201cexcessive attack 201d on a 201ccivilian 201d craft in shooting down the balloon. Quoted in last weekend 2019s edition of the UK newspaper the Financial Times (5-6 February), the ministry added that 201cwe solemnly protest against the US move and reserve the right to use the necessary means to deal with similar ones. 201d. The 201cspy 201d balloon incident brought to mind a similar incident in 1960 at the height of the Cold War when the former Soviet Union shot down a US reconnaissance plane flown by a pilot named Gary Powell. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Yet many reporters questioned why the Biden administration had demurred in shooting down the Chinese balloon but destroyed this one, speculating that the Pentagon or the president may have been motivated by political pressure or a need to look tough in public. Mr Biden was heavily criticised by his Republican opponents for not immediately destroying or disabling the Chinese craft. One claimed that its appearance was part of 201ca crisis in America 201d, while another speculated that it could have contained 201cbioweapons 201d. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | For example, some in the US have questioned why China would use a balloon to spy, when the People 2019s Liberation Army operates an array of sophisticated intelligence gathering satellites 2014 a question fed by China 2019s assertion the balloon was designed simply to gather weather data over the ocean and drifted off course by accident. The shoot down itself has prompted legal questions. Beijing has publicly protested the action, with the vice minister of foreign affairs on Feb. 6 charging that the US had used 201cindiscriminate use of force against the civilian airship seriously violated the spirit of international law and international practice. 201d He further vowed that China would 201cresolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, resolutely safeguard China 2019s interests and dignity and reserve the right to make further necessary responses. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | 201cThis is the latest example of China scrambling to do damage control, 201d she added, noting that China, which claims the balloon that was shot down was a weather-monitoring platform, has failed to offer any 201ccredible explanations 201d for intruding into other countries 2019 airspace. While the Chinese balloon drifted across the US for several days, it caused a political furore in the country, with Republicans accusing President Joe Biden of being too slow to shoot it down. But the Pentagon said analysts were able to capture significant intelligence about the balloon as it traversed America. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | In Beijing, before the US offered its new information, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated her nation 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course and that the US had 201coverreacted 201d by shooting it down. The latest accusations, she said, 201cmay be part of the US side 2019s information warfare against China. 201d. Underscoring the tensions, China 2019s defense minister refused to take a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the balloon issue on Saturday, the Pentagon said. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | A U.S. F-22 fighter jet 00a0 shot down 00a0the Chinese balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, a week after it was discovered in U.S. airspace. China is, of course, furious about the shoot down. The Chinese Foreign Ministry reportedly 00a0 conveyed 00a0its 201cstrong dissatisfaction and protest 201d at the U.S. shooting down the balloon, calling it 201ca blatant provocation. 201d And this was after China 2019s earlier acknowledgement that the balloon was in U.S. airspace. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Wang said the U.S. should 201cfirst reflect on itself and change course, rather than smear and instigate a confrontation. 201c. China says the balloon shot down by the U.S. was an unmanned airship made for meteorological research that had been blown off course. It has accused the U.S. of overreacting by shooting it down and threatened to take unspecified action in response. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China's Foreign Ministry has accused the U.S. of "overreacting" and "seriously violating international practice" in shooting down the Chinese balloon, while the Chinese Defense Ministry has said it "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations.". On Sunday evening, Chinese social media was filled with excitement, with many users waiting for the object floating off China's coast to be taken down. "Thanks to the demonstration made by the U.S., we must report it in a high-profile manner when we shoot down (the object)," said a top comment on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Additionally, the US sanctioned six Chinese entities 201cfor supporting 201d Beijing 2019s 201cmilitary modernization efforts, specifically those related to aerospace programs, including airships and balloons. 201d. Although Beijing has admitted that the downed balloon belonged to China, it has insisted it was a weather balloon that blew off course. 201cWe are firmly opposed to what the US has done and urge the US not to take further actions that could undermine China 2019s interests or escalate tensions, 201d Wenbin said on Wednesday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | In the aftermath of the February 4 downing of the balloon, the Biden administration said that the Chinese military has targeted more than 40 countries across five continents with balloons like the one the US shot down. Additionally, the US sanctioned six Chinese entities 201cfor supporting 201d Beijing 2019s 201cmilitary modernization efforts, specifically those related to aerospace programs, including airships and balloons. 201d. Although Beijing has admitted that the downed balloon belonged to China, it has insisted it was a weather balloon that blew off course. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | BEIJING 2014 China on Thursday said U.S. accusations that a downed Chinese balloon was part of an extensive surveillance program amount to 201cinformation warfare against China. 201d. The Pentagon on Wednesday said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a program involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for 201cseveral years. 201d. At Thursday's daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated China 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the U.S. had 201coverreacted 201d by shooting it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Similar balloons have sailed over five continents, according to the administration. A statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China 2019s military to the balloon that was shot down by the US last weekend over the Atlantic Ocean. The public details outlining the program 2019s scope and capabilities were meant to refute China 2019s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that US accusations about the balloon amount to 201cinformation warfare. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Beijing has dismissed American accusations that a downed Chinese balloon was part of an extensive surveillance program, saying the comments ammounted to 201cinformation warfare against China. 201d. This week the Pentagon said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a program involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for 201cseveral years. 201d. At Thursday 2019s daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated China 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the US had 201coverreacted 201d by shooting it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Pentagon on Wednesday said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a program involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for 201cseveral years. 201d. At Thursday's daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated China 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the U.S. had 201coverreacted" by shooting it down. 201cIt is irresponsible," Mao said at a daily briefing. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | This surprised the US military, which was tracking the balloon carefully. The United States has shot down a large Chinese balloon that floated across the country. The US believes China used the balloon for spying. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | A US Air Force fighter jet shot down the balloon off the South Carolina coast on Saturday, a week after it first entered US airspace. China has said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course into US airspace and was an 201cunexpected, isolated incident 201d. It condemned the shoot-down and accused the US of overreacting. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese government criticized the US for shooting down the balloon last week, having previously said that it was a civilian airship used mainly for 201cmeteorological research 201d that had been blown off course. However, Pentagon officials said it was 201cbeing used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States. 201d. Pentagon officials later said that a second suspected Chinese surveillance balloon had been spotted over Latin America on Thursday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China claimed the balloon was meteorological research equipment which had blown off course. The US government said the balloon was clearly navigable and for surveillance purposes, and it was shot down by an air-to-air missile on 4 February after being tracked for several days. Beijing and state media reacted angrily, drumming up nationalistic fervour and accusing the US of overreaction. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Tensions rose between Beijing and Washington after the U.S. military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. China had insisted the object was a civilian weather-monitoring unmanned aircraft blown off course and called the shooting down an overreaction. 201cWe urge the United States not to over exert itself, in case it sprains its waist, 201d Wang said on Tuesday, noting Chinese media reports that likened the use of military force to shoot down the Chinese balloon to 201cbusting mosquitoes with anti-aircraft guns 201d. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | However, such measures have not been necessary so far, the defence ministry said, adding that it had not spotted any surveillance balloons from China, similar to the one downed by the US. Washington shot down a Chinese 201cspy 201d balloon on 4 February off the coast of South Carolina after it traversed above sensitive military sites across North America, triggering a diplomatic spat. Beijing has argued that the balloon was a civilian research craft that had mistakenly blown off course. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | American officials have rejected Beijing 2019s explanation that the balloon shot down on February 4 was mainly for meteorological monitoring. They assert it was part of a global surveillance programme. While Price would not name any of the 201cdozens 201d of countries with whom US officials are sharing what they know about China 2019s balloons, he said they included 201ca number of countries in the Indo-Pacific region 201d. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | "It was equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors," the official said, on grounds of anonymity. A US fighter jet shot the balloon down over the Atlantic on Saturday after it had crossed much of the country, overflying areas where the US keeps nuclear missiles in underground silos and bases strategic bombers. The incident led US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel an imminent trip to Beijing that had been long in planning and aimed at improving communications between the two rival superpowers. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Recently, a Chinese balloon was spotted over the skies of the United States. Beijing said that it was a civilian airship used for research purposes, but concerns were raised over the balloon being used to spy on America. The US deployed fighter jets to track the balloon and shoot it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Pentagon on Wednesday said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a program involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for 201cseveral years. 201d. At Thursday's daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated China 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the U.S. had 201coverreacted 201d by shooting it down. 201cIt is irresponsible, 201d Mao said at a daily briefing. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | In a stark contrast to the US, where the balloon set off serious public concerns, the topic became a subject of amusement on Chinese social media, with nationalists poking fun at the US over its response to a "weather" balloon. China's Foreign Ministry has accused the US of "overreacting" and "seriously violating international practice" in shooting down the Chinese balloon, while the Chinese Defense Ministry has said it "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations.". On Sunday evening, Chinese social media was filled with excitement, with many users waiting for the object floating off China's coast to be taken down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Beijing maintains the device was a civilian research airship blown off course. In a stark contrast to the US, where the balloon set off serious public concerns, the topic became a subject of amusement on Chinese social media, with nationalists poking fun at the US over its response to a "weather" balloon. China's Foreign Ministry has accused the US of "overreacting" and "seriously violating international practice" in shooting down the Chinese balloon, while the Chinese Defense Ministry has said it "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations." |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | 201cBut what we want to tell everyone here is that the US 2019s frequent firing of advanced missiles to shoot down unidentified flying objects is an overreaction of excessive force. 201d. The US has shot down at least four flying objects over North America in recent days, including the first spy balloon which sparked the furore, and an unidentified object about the size of a small car that was flying over northern Alaska. The most recent interaction involved what was described by US officials as an 201coctagonal structure 201d with strings attached. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The announcement comes a week after the United States military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had been seen floating over the US and parts of Canada. The Chinese government criticized the US for shooting down the balloon last week, having previously said that it was a civilian airship used mainly for 201cmeteorological research 201d that had been blown off course. However, Pentagon officials said it was 201cbeing used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States. 201d |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | On Feb 4, the US shot down what it said was a large Chinese spy balloon. China said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course and criticised Washington for 201can obvious over-reaction 201d. The incident further raised tensions between the world 2019s two biggest economies. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China 2019s assertion comes after the US shot down what it called a Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4 after it had drifted across the continental US for days. China said the balloon was a civilian research craft that had mistakenly blown off course and accused the US of overreacting. In recent days, the US military has shot down three other flying objects over North America, most recently on Sunday, when an octagonal object was downed over Lake Huron, the Pentagon said. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | A statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China 2019s military to the balloon that was shot down by the U.S. last weekend over the Atlantic Ocean. The public details outlining the program 2019s scope and capabilities were meant to refute China 2019s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to 201cinformation warfare. 201d. On Capitol Hill, the House voted unanimously to condemn China for a 201cbrazen violation 201d of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to 201cdeceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns. 201d Republicans have criticized President Joe Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon, but both parties 2019 lawmakers came together on the vote, 419-0. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China has accused the United States of "an obvious overreaction" and "seriously violating international practice" after US military jets on Saturday shot down its suspected spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina. This after it had loitered over the US, including sensitive national security sites, for more than four days last week. (China has claimed the balloon was for "civilian use" and to monitor weather, and that it only entered US airspace by accident.) |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The balloon, which Washington accuses Beijing of using for surveillance and China says was a civilian research vessel, drifted across Alaska 2019s Aleutian Islands, then Canada and the central United States before it was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. The incident has further strained US-China relations and prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit to Beijing last week. US military and intelligence agencies tracked the balloon from when it lifted off from Hainan Island near China 2019s south coast, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Almost a direct confrontation between China and the US has sent shockwaves across the world. The US decided to shoot a Chinese balloon which the US claims was a surveillance device hovering over their nuclear facilities in Montana. The incident has sparked outrage in China, with the Chinese government calling the shooting a 201cprovocative act 201d and demanding an explanation from the US. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The US says the balloon was a surveillance device and called its voyage across the country a violation of US territory. Officials have said they felt no obligation to tell China before a US fighter jet shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina. China said the balloon was a weather monitoring device that blew off course, and that the US had no right to destroy it. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | A US Air Force fighter jet shot down the balloon off the South Carolina coast on Saturday, a week after it first entered US airspace. China 2019s foreign ministry has said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course and accused the US of overreacting. The State Department also sent US missions around the world information about the balloon incident to share with allies and partners, the official added. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | This still image taken from a cellphone video by Haley Walsh in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, shows a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon after it was shot down on February 4, 2023. 2013 A US fighter jet on Saturday shot down the Chinese balloon off the coast of South Carolina, the Pentagon said, over what it called Beijing 2019s 201cunacceptable violation 201d of US sovereignty. China on Monday accused the United States of flying balloons over its territory, hitting back against Washington 2019s claims that Beijing has been operating a fleet of surveillance aircraft around the world. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | In this case, it was operating at an altitude that posed a reasonable threat to civilian air traffic, 201d said Brig Gen Ryder, repeating the latter phrase several times. Yet many reporters questioned why the Biden administration had demurred in shooting down the Chinese balloon but destroyed this one, speculating that the Pentagon or the president may have been motivated by political pressure or a need to look tough in public. Mr Biden was heavily criticised by his Republican opponents for not immediately destroying or disabling the Chinese craft. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The bilateral row over the suspected Chinese spy balloon and contradictory explanations that have emerged since it was brought down have aggravated tensions between the US and China just as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was preparing for a trip to Beijing aimed at easing friction that had been building for years. American officials have rejected Beijing 2019s explanation that the balloon shot down on February 4 was mainly for meteorological monitoring. They assert it was part of a global surveillance programme. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China warned it would take countermeasures against U.S. entities in response to American fighter jets shooting down its surveillance balloon amid tense diplomatic relations. Beijing 2019s foreign ministry spokesman 00a0Wang Wenbin also claimed the U.S. has flown 00a0high-altitude balloons flew over its Xinjiang and Tibet regions after the White House rejected claims they were behind any flights. Wang didn 2019t reveal any details and did not identify the targets of the measures, but claims the U.S. overreacted by scrambling F-22s to down the spy balloon and used it as a pretext to sanction Chinese-linked companies. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | According to a statement by US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, the downing of the Chinese balloon off the coast of South Carolina was done at the direction of Biden himself who gave the order on 2 February provided that the shooting would not cause harm or damage on the ground and that the US military would wait for the right circumstances to execute the order. The statement stressed that the Chinese balloon was 201can attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States 201d and that it was an 201cunacceptable violation 201d of US sovereignty. It also pointed out that the downing of the balloon had been coordinated with the Canadian government. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Another source familiar with the briefings said officials said the balloon would give the Chinese better photos and signals collection than satellites, as well as a better ability to steer and hover longer over collection targets. In the classified congressional briefings, the administration officials argued that the US didn 2019t move earlier to shoot down the balloon in part over fears it could provoke an escalation of military tensions with China or even a military conflict. Biden gave the order to shoot down the balloon whenever the Pentagon felt it was safe to do so, the sources said, so the Pentagon ultimately made the call on when to shoot it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The balloon, which Washington accuses Beijing of using for surveillance and China says was a civilian research vessel, drifted across Alaska 2019s Aleutian Islands, then Canada and the central United States before it was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. The incident has further strained US-China relations and prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit to Beijing last week. US military and intelligence agencies tracked the balloon from when it lifted off from Hainan Island near China 2019s south coast, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called the U.S. downing of the Chinese balloon a 201cclear overreaction. 201c Beijing says it was an unmanned airship made for meteorological research that had been blown off course. The U.S. military had engaged an 201cabsurd and costly large-scale political performance art show. We also advise the U.S. side to be careful about overexerting itself and spraining its back, 201c Wang said at a daily news briefing. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China had insisted the object was a civilian weather-monitoring unmanned aircraft blown off course and called the shooting down an overreaction. 201cWe urge the United States not to over exert itself, in case it sprains its waist, 201d Wang said on Tuesday, noting Chinese media reports that likened the use of military force to shoot down the Chinese balloon to 201cbusting mosquitoes with anti-aircraft guns 201d. Since then, U.S. fighter jets have downed three more mysterious objects over North American airspace starting on Friday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Pentagon says China declined a request for a secure call 200bbetween Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart, Wei Fenghe, after the U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon. Beijing has said the balloon was a wayward "civilian airship" used for meteorology and other scientific purposes, and the decision to shoot it out of the sky was an "overreaction.". China lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. embassy in Beijing on Monday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The United States accuses China of conducting a high altitude surveillance balloon program for intelligence collection that has violated the sovereignty of more than 40 countries across five continents. Washington said another Chinese balloon had been spotted over Latin America. Close U.S. ally Britain said it would review its security in the wake of the U.S. China balloon incident. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The story caused political uproar in Washington and prompted the top U.S. diplomat, Antony Blinken, to cancel a Sunday-Monday trip to Beijing both countries had hoped would steady their rocky relations. China has said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course into U.S. airspace and accused the United States of overreacting. 201cI know the administration is looking at other actions that can be taken, 201d Schumer told reporters at the Capitol. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | But they exposed Washington 2019s heightened sense of alert as the standoff over the balloon delays efforts to reset bilateral relations. China says the balloon shot down on Feb 4 was a civilian weather-monitoring aircraft. It has accused Washington of sending its own balloons into Chinese airspace, an allegation Beijing reiterated on Tuesday. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a trip to Beijing that was due to take place last weekend over the presence of the balloon, and President Joe Biden 2019s decision to shoot it down has further heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing. Beijing 2019s rhetoric hardened significantly after the US military shot down the balloon, with China 2019s Foreign Ministry accusing the US of 201coverreacting 201d and 201cseriously violating international practice. 201d The Defense Ministry, meanwhile, expressed 201csolemn protest, 201d warning China 201creserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations. 201d. On Monday, China 2019s Foreign Ministry said the debris of the balloon does not belong to the US. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called the U.S. downing of the Chinese balloon a 201cclear overreaction. 201d Beijing says it was an unmanned airship made for meteorological research that had been blown off course. The U.S. military had engaged an 201cabsurd and costly large-scale political performance art show. We also advise the U.S. side to be careful about overexerting itself and spraining its back, 201d Wang said at a daily news briefing. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | After shooting down what the U.S said was a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the U.S., the official said the administration is weighing actions to reprimand Beijing for the incursion into American airspace as well as 201cbroader efforts to expose and address 201d its surveillance activities that threaten national security. The official added that the department was specifically considering measures against Chinese entities linked to its military that supported the balloon's operations. Arguing that the U.S. had sent a 201cclear message 201d to Beijing by downing the aircraft, the official said China's attempts to excuse the balloon's flight path were extremely muddled, asserting that Beijing was caught red-handed. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Lu Shaye, China 2019s ambassador to France, warned that it could become 201ca trigger point of conflicts 201d in bilateral relations. 201cBut what we want to tell everyone here is that the US 2019s frequent firing of advanced missiles to shoot down unidentified flying objects is an overreaction of excessive force. 201d. The US has shot down at least four flying objects over North America in recent days, including the first spy balloon which sparked the furore, and an unidentified object about the size of a small car that was flying over northern Alaska. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Washington 2019s decision to shoot down a Chinese balloon on the weekend will deepen the gulf of suspicion between the two powers, making it much tougher to improve the worst bilateral ties between them for decades, according to analysts. The US sent an F-22 fighter jet to bring down the balloon with an Aim-9X Sidewinder missile on Saturday after the Pentagon claimed the unmanned airship was surveilling strategic sites in the country. Top concerns about Washington 2019s efforts amid Beijing 2019s competitive advances aired at House hearings by financial services and armed services panels |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China's assertion comes after the United States shot down what it says was a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4 after it had drifted across the continental United States for days. In resposne to the Chinese balloon, the United States postponed a visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. China says the balloon was a civilian research craft that had mistakenly blown off course and accused the United States of overreacting. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The appearance of the Chinese balloon caused a political uproar in the United States and prompted the top US diplomat, Antony Blinken, to cancel a February 5-6 trip to Beijing that both countries hoped would steady their rocky relations. Beijing condemned the shooting down of the balloon as an 201cobvious overreaction 201d and urged Washington to show restraint. 201cChina firmly opposes and strongly protests against this, 201d Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng said in remarks to the US Embassy in Beijing posted on the ministry 2019s website. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | It was eventually shot down and blown to bits by missiles fired by US fighter jet F-22. China had responded sternly to their balloon device being shot down by the US administration, saying that they will be reciprocating appropriately. READ | 00a0Chinese 2018spy 2019 balloon shot down by US F-22 fighter jet missile, netizens share incredible video |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Those were also brought down by US fighter jets.Earlier this month, a craft identified as a Chinese high-altitude balloon was also shot down over the Atlantic ocean after crossing much of the continental US, prompting allegations of spying from American officials, who claimed the craft was outfitted with technology used for espionage.Despite speculation the other three objects might also be linked to foreign spying, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has suggested they were not Chinese in origin, and posed no threat to US national security. 201cWe don 2019t see anything that points right now to being part of [China 2019s] spy balloon program, 201d Kirby told reporters, adding that the objects could instead be 201ctied to some commercial or benign purpose. 201dThough officials have repeatedly claimed the Chinese balloon that entered US airspace was sent to spy on military sites and other sensitive locations, Beijing has denied the allegation, instead saying the airship drifted off course by accident. According to several US officials reached by the Washington Post, analysts are now considering the possibility the incident was a mistake after all, noting that the craft 201cencountered strong winds 201d that appear to have pushed it into the United States, off its original path. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | In recent years, both the United States and China have been accused of flying military aircraft and drones into each other's airspace, often leading to diplomatic spats. This latest shooting, however, marks a significant escalation in tensions, as it marks the first time that a Chinese balloon has been shot down over American soil. The incident has also raised concerns over the potential for a military conflict between the two countries. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | China is, of course, furious about the shoot down. The Chinese Foreign Ministry reportedly 00a0 conveyed 00a0its 201cstrong dissatisfaction and protest 201d at the U.S. shooting down the balloon, calling it 201ca blatant provocation. 201d And this was after China 2019s earlier acknowledgement that the balloon was in U.S. airspace. The balloon situation is not an isolated incident. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The US also believes what they have recovered from the shot-down balloon is beneficial to US intelligence, the sources said. Another source familiar with the briefings said officials said the balloon would give the Chinese better photos and signals collection than satellites, as well as a better ability to steer and hover longer over collection targets. In the classified congressional briefings, the administration officials argued that the US didn 2019t move earlier to shoot down the balloon in part over fears it could provoke an escalation of military tensions with China or even a military conflict. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Officials have said they felt no obligation to tell China before a US fighter jet shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina. China said the balloon was a weather monitoring device that blew off course, and that the US had no right to destroy it. The balloon episode has sent the US-China relationship spiraling to a new low. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | This week the Pentagon said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a program involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for 201cseveral years. 201d. At Thursday 2019s daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated China 2019s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the US had 201coverreacted 201d by shooting it down. 201cIt is irresponsible, 201d Mao said at a daily briefing. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The Chinese 201csurveillance balloon 201d was shot down on February 4 by a US F-22 fighter. US Navy and Coastguard teams have recovered much of the wreckage of the vessel, which landed in waters about 14 metres deep off the eastern state of South Carolina. At the weekend, Chinese state-affiliated media reported that an unidentified flying object had been spotted off the country 2019s east coast and that the military was preparing to shoot it down. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | The appearance of the balloon led U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to describe relations with China as 201ctense 201d. The story caused political uproar in Washington and prompted the top U.S. diplomat, Antony Blinken, to cancel a Sunday-Monday trip to Beijing both countries had hoped would steady their rocky relations. China has said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course into U.S. airspace and accused the United States of overreacting. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | 201cThe military will adopt appropriate measures, including shooting threats down, according to the level of concern, 201d he told Bloomberg. However, such measures have not been necessary so far, the defence ministry said, adding that it had not spotted any surveillance balloons from China, similar to the one downed by the US. Washington shot down a Chinese 201cspy 201d balloon on 4 February off the coast of South Carolina after it traversed above sensitive military sites across North America, triggering a diplomatic spat. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Beijing's rhetoric hardened significantly after the US military shot down the balloon, with China's Foreign Ministry accusing the US of "overreacting" and "seriously violating international practice.". The Defense Ministry, meanwhile, expressed "solemn protest," warning China "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations.". On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry said the debris of the balloon does not belong to the US. |
Why did the US shoot down Chinese balloon? ? | Beijing's rhetoric hardened significantly after the US military shot down the balloon, with China's Foreign Ministry accusing the US of "overreacting" and "seriously violating international practice.". The Defense Ministry, meanwhile, expressed "solemn protest," warning China "reserves the right to use necessary means to deal with similar situations.". On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry said the debris of the balloon does not belong to the US. |
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