[Central News Agency] The U.S. Department of Defense said that the Chinese surveillance balloon shot down last week was part of Beijing's extensive surveillance operation. A step-by-step challenge.

A Chinese reconnaissance balloon was spotted invading U.S. airspace last week and was subsequently shot down by the U.S. military.

U.S. Department of Defense spokesman Pat Ryder said at a media briefing today that it was determined that the balloon came from China. There have been four similar incidents in the past, three of which occurred during the tenure of former U.S. President Trump (Donald Trump), and Biden ( It happened once early in Joe Biden's presidency.

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Although unwilling to disclose too much information, Ryder said that China's reconnaissance balloon program has been in operation for many years. It has been found not only in the United States, but also in five continents, including South America, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Europe. Demonstrating yet again why China remains a looming challenge for the Department of Defense.

Ryder pointed out that last week's incident provided the United States with an opportunity to learn more about China's reconnaissance balloon program, and all information will help the United States continue to strengthen its ability to track such objects.

The US will continue to salvage the wreckage and collect debris so that more information can be obtained.

Regarding China's insistence that the balloons are for civilian use, Ryder made it clear that the guarantee is definitely not for civilian use, "we are 100% sure."

As far as the US understands and observes, this is a reconnaissance balloon with intelligence-gathering capabilities.

What's more, if it is a civilian balloon or a weather balloon, and it is close to a sovereign country and is about to enter the airspace of that country, a responsible country will make a public statement, but China did not do so, and did not respond until it was informed.

Although China sent reconnaissance balloons to detect U.S. secrets, and after the incident, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe also rejected U.S. Secretary of Defense Washington’s request to let U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Lloyd Austin) talk on security issues, but Ryder said that the U.S. still Continue to maintain open communication channels to prevent miscalculation.

(Editor: Chen Zhengjian) 1120209