[Central News Agency] The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced today that it has decided to temporarily close three airports in the eastern United States in response to Chinese spy balloons invading U.S. airspace and to support "national security efforts."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced in a statement that three airports in South Carolina and North Carolina will suspend operations "in support of the Department of Defense's national security efforts."

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The temporary flight restrictions issued by the FAA are aimed at clearing more than 100 square kilometers of airspace around the coast of South Carolina, mostly over the Atlantic Ocean.

The statement also warned that the military could respond with deadly force if the aircraft violated the restrictions and did not obey orders to leave immediately.

A high-altitude Chinese reconnaissance balloon violated U.S. airspace on Jan. 28 in what Washington called a "clear violation" of U.S. sovereignty.

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