A hot air balloon flies over Billings, Montana, USA on February 1, 2023, in this photo taken from this social network.
Chase Doak via Reuters
According to NBC News, the US military on Saturday shot down a Chinese spy balloon.
Defense Department officials have yet to confirm the balloon was shot down.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop order in parts of North Carolina and South Carolina, and further closed the airspace on Saturday afternoon. Departures have been halted “to assist the Department of Defense in its efforts to ensure national security,” a representative told CNBC.
Chairperson Joe Biden broke his silence about the balloon for the first time on Saturday, telling a group of reporters, “We’ll take care of it.”
The original high-altitude balloon was spotted over Billings, Montana, on Wednesday. Defense officials said the Pentagon considered shooting down the balloon earlier this week but decided against it after notifying Biden. The decision was made in consultation with senior leaders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Biden concluded that the US would not shoot down the balloon because debris from it could cause damage on the ground, a Pentagon official said. Furthermore, any information the balloon collects would have “limited additional value” compared to China’s spy satellites.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that hot air balloons are a Civilian hot air balloon devoted to scientific research has been blown away. It described the incident as the result of a “force majeure event” for which it was not responsible.
This claim has been refuted by US officials. A senior Pentagon official told reporters on Thursday night that the object was apparently a surveillance balloon that was flying over sensitive locations to gather intelligence.
“We have noted China’s statement of regret, but the presence of this hot air balloon in our airspace is a clear violation of our sovereignty as well as international law and cannot be Accept that this happened,” the official said.
The presence of the hot air balloon prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postponed indefinitely the already tense trip to China on Friday.
The visit aims to strengthen communication and cooperation between the two countries amid deepening tensions due to China’s increased military aggression against Taiwan and closer alliance with the Russian President. Putin.
Instead, Blinken told China’s Central Foreign Affairs Office Director, Wang Yi, in a phone call Friday that the ballooning was an “irresponsible act and a clear violation of China’s sovereignty” United States and international law undermine the purpose of the trip,” according to a statement. Read discussion.
This story is evolving. Please check back for updates.
—CNBC’s Christina Wilkie and Amanda Macias contributed to this report
