Today: 6 May 2025
9 February 2023
3 mins read

Chinese balloon capable of spying, US confirms

The investigation into recovered balloon is the first of its kind in the FBI’s history….reports Asian Lite News

As the FBI is analysing recovered parts of the suspected Chinese spy balloon which was shot down on February 4, it was revealed that the device “was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations” and was part of a fleet that had flown over “more than 40 countries across five continents”, a US State Department official said.

“We know the PRC (People’s Republic of China) used these balloons for surveillance. High-resolution imagery from U-2 flybys revealed that the high-altitude balloon was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations,” CNN quoted the official as saying on Thursday

Signals intelligence refers to information that is gathered by electronic means — things like communications and radars.

Senior FBI officials confirmed on Thursday that they have started initial stages of evaluating the pieces of the balloon that were recovered and brought to the Bureau’s lab in Quantico, Virginia, on Sunday.

The investigation into recovered balloon is the first of its kind in the FBI’s history.

Only evidence that was on the surface of the ocean has been delivered to FBI analysts so far, one official said, which includes the “canopy itself, the wiring, and then a very small amount of electronics”, one of the officials was quoted by CNN as saying.

He added that the analysts have not yet seen the “payload,” which is where you would expect to see the “lion’s share” of electronics.

The officials also said that understanding the components of the balloon is vital intelligence and could be “important pieces of evidence for future criminal charges that could be brought”.

Administration officials from the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community briefed lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday on the balloon.

The House of Representatives lawmakers called the balloon a “brazen violation of US sovereignty” as the body voted 419 to 0 on Thursday morning to condemn its use, the BBC reported.

The suspected spy balloon, which US defence officials first announced of tracking the on February 2, was shot down two days later by an American F-22 fighter jet.

The officials waited until the “strange object” was safely over water before shooting it down.

The balloon was retrieved off the coast of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina on February 5

Earlier this week, The Washington Post had reported that the US believes the suspected surveillance balloon project was being operated from China’s coastal Hainan province and targeted countries including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington “was not the only target of this broader program which violated the sovereignty of countries across five continents”.

“Last week, Beijing violated international law and US sovereignty with the presence of a Chinese surveillance balloon in US airspace. This was an irresponsible act, in response to which we acted responsibly and prudently to protect our interests,” he had said.

The discovery of the balloon has set off a diplomatic crisis, with Blinken immediately calling off a scheduled trip to China — which would have been the first such high level US-China meeting there in years.

China has admitted ownership of the balloon, saying it was used for flight tests and had “seriously deviated” from its flight course “by mistake”.

ALSO READ: US Congress reintroduces Tibet-China conflict bill

Previous Story

‘Political Shift in Pakistan Lacks Substance For Improved India Ties’

Next Story

India’s Operation Dost shifts gears

Latest from -Top News

UAE Reopens Doors to Lebanon

The prime minister expressed Lebanon’s “utmost gratitude and appreciation to the UAE” and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan….reports Asian Lite News Lebanon welcomed the decision by the United Arab Emirates

SYRIA RAIDS: Arab League Slams Israel

The Arab League condemned the airstrikes and called on the international community and the United Nations to confront what it described as “repeated violations committed by Israel against the Syrian state.” The

India Rises, Africa Watches 

While struggling economies in Africa engulf themselves in ideological battles and take sides in the tariff battles, nations like India are placing their national interest first and navigating Global Trade challenges in

WAVES 2025: Jaishankar Advocates Cultural Pluralism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful address at the WAVES 2025 Global Media Dialogue, highlighting the significance of cultural pluralism in shaping global change. Speaking on the second day of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

After China promised aid, only $1 million reaches Afghanistan

That apart, China is typically risk averse and with its

Time to prepare for next pandemic: Kamala

Vice President Harris will virtually address the UN body at