China Admits To Balloon Airship Crossing American Air Defence Redlines

Over 2 days after shocking photos and outrage over a huge surveillance Balloon flying over United Sates Montana region came out, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has just issued statement that the Balloon belongs to China. The flight has sparked huge criticism of President Biden’s weak response.

US Air Defence exposed 

Confusing statements from the US Department of Defence reveal that they were monitoring the balloon flying into American airspace through Canada. But the shocking issue is that even after flying fighter jets to closely monitor the Balloon reported to be carrying surveillance equipment and it was not shot down. North America has large number of strategic missile and aircraft bases.

The violation has happened just before scheduled visit of Anthony Blinken to China, so the American indecision maybe linked to it. After US Pentagon  officials stated that they had ruled out shooting down the Balloon and 2 days of silence, the Chinese have issued statement that the “Airship” is theirs and is for civil purposes.

Calling this flight a failure of President Biden, Republican opposition senators have demanded for the Balloon to be shot down. But Aerospace experts feel that the height of over 80,000 feet over which the thin Balloon was flying makes it difficult to target accurately. The Pentagon’s response that it was decided not to shoot it down to avoid property damage on the ground is also being criticised, as Montana region is heavily forested with very less population.

China’s increasing violations: Secretary of State cancels visit

The late statement by Chinese foreign Ministry today, is being seen by experts as a show of strength and planned, delayed reaction after creating huge controversy in America.  US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was to visit China on Sunday, which was going to be the highest ranking visit after the Taiwan crisis last year. But the visit of Secretary Blinken  is now being reported to be postponed, due to the Balloon crisis. However no official statement has been released by United States yet.

(Rtd. Col Ashish Khanna)