The Chinese Foreign Ministry admitted that the balloons that flew into the U.S. airspace did come from China, but they were of a civilian nature and entered the U.S. by "force majeure" factors.

(AFP)

[Central News Agency] The Chinese spy balloon intrusion into the US airspace has turned into a diplomatic storm. US Secretary of State Blinken postponed his visit to China, accusing China of violating sovereignty.

The U.S. Congress criticized it regardless of partisanship, and some members even asked the Biden administration to "shoot it down."

The Pentagon said on the 2nd that it had recently discovered that a Chinese high-altitude reconnaissance balloon entered the U.S. airspace and was suspected of collecting sensitive information. It was not shot down for fear of endangering ground personnel, which aroused great concern from the outside world.

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The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs later admitted that the balloon came from China, but claimed that it was of a civilian nature and was used for scientific research such as meteorology. It was seriously deviated from the planned route due to the impact of the westerly winds, and "expressed regret" that the balloon entered the United States due to force majeure; the United States did not believe Beijing's statement. Emphasizing that the nature of the balloon is reconnaissance, Blinken (Antony Blinken) also postponed his 5-day visit to China.

Faced with the Chinese reconnaissance balloon's invasion of the U.S. airspace, members of the U.S. Congress criticized it regardless of partisanship. Republican senators including Blackburn (Marsha Blackburn) and Josh Hawley (Josh Hawley) even publicly demanded that the Biden administration "shoot it down" ( shoot it down).

Democratic Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (Bob Menendez) issued a statement today, saying that he was very disappointed by the discovery of a Chinese reconnaissance balloon over the United States, especially on the eve of Blinken's visit to China.

"This is a clear and unquestionable violation of U.S. sovereignty and international law by a country that claims to be the responsible actor," Menendez said. "I support Secretary of State Blinken's decision to suspend his visit."

Jim Risch, the top Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, echoed that China's use of reconnaissance balloons is a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the United States, and called on the Biden administration to immediately remove the balloons from U.S. airspace.

Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher and Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who serve as the chairman and chief member of the newly established "Special Committee on China" in the House of Representatives, also issued a joint statement pointing out that the CCP's move not only The violation of U.S. sovereignty makes it clear that Beijing's recent diplomatic overtures do not represent a substantive change in policy.

Chinese reconnaissance balloons flew into U.S. airspace, and members of the U.S. Congress wildly criticized it regardless of party. Republican senators including Blackburn and Hawley (see photo) even publicly demanded that the Biden administration "shoot it down" (shoot it down).

(Reuters)