Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Flying Objects Mystery Deepens As China Accuses US

Flying Objects Mystery Deepens As China Accuses US

On Monday, Beijing sought to turn the tables by accusing Washington of deploying more than 10 balloons into Chinese airspace over the last year.
Questions about three unidentified flying objects downed by US Air Force jets over North America in three days intensified Monday, while Beijing and Washington traded accusations over using high-tech balloons to spy on each other.

Puzzlement, fear and in some political quarters growing anger reigned as demands mounted for President Joe Biden's administration to explain not just the origin of the objects but their purpose, potential threat, and number.

It's not clear whether the three latest unidentified flying objects -- shot down Friday over Alaska, Saturday over Canada, Sunday over Michigan's Lake Huron -- have any connection to a much bigger white balloon that was shot down over the Atlantic on February 4.

The US military, which tracked that balloon as it crossed much of the country, says it was a sophisticated, high-altitude Chinese spying device -- one of a fleet of such craft allegedly floating around the globe. Recovery teams are scouring the seabed to pull up the debris for analysis.

China insists that the balloon, which was big enough to be visible to ordinary Americans from the ground, was merely blown off course while collecting weather data. Chinese authorities also admitted that a balloon spotted over Latin America was one of theirs -- in this case a civilian device for flight tests.

On Monday, Beijing sought to turn the tables by accusing Washington of deploying more than 10 balloons into Chinese airspace over the last year.

"It's not uncommon as well for the United States to illegally enter the airspace of other countries," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said during a briefing. The alleged flights were made "without any approval from Chinese authorities."

At the White House, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson quickly called China's allegations "false" and said that China's high-altitude spying program has violated airspace of "40 countries across five continents."

The State Department said China was "scrambling to do damage control" and that the communist government "has failed to offer any credible explanations for its intrusion into our airspace."

Over the weekend, Chinese state-affiliated media reported that an unidentified flying object had been spotted off the country's east coast and that the military was preparing to shoot it down.

Beijing on Monday declined to comment on that report, referring journalists to the defense ministry, which did not respond to requests for comment from AFP.

Questions and few answers

In Washington, the extraordinary events are fueling already intense suspicion about China across both the Democratic and Republican parties -- a trend likely to grow as the 2024 presidential election approaches.

The diplomatic fallout has already been substantial, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceling a rare visit to Beijing.

Republican lawmakers Monday piled pressure on the White House to give answers about the scope and nature of the threat.

"How many more unidentified objects in US airspace before the Biden Administration gives us some -- ANY -- answers?" tweeted Republican Representative Mark Green.

Officials have issued little information about the three latest objects, other than to say they were much smaller than the confirmed Chinese balloon destroyed February 4. That was about the size of three buses, while the new targets were more car-sized.

"We're going to do everything we can to recover them," White House spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC on Monday. "As soon as we do that, we'll learn more."

The unidentified flying object shot down Sunday over Michigan was described by officials as an octagonal structure with strings hanging off it. However there was no information about how it was guided or propelled.

Canada's defense minister, Anita Anand, told CNN the object shot down over Canada by a US plane appeared to be "cylindrical" but said no more information would be given until "we gather the debris."

Amid often wild speculation, the US Northern Command's General Glen VanHerck was asked if the government could be sure these were not extraterrestrial craft and he replied: "I haven't ruled out anything at this point."

Why such a sudden spate of sightings is another unanswered question.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Melissa Dalton said Sunday that this may be because the Pentagon has been "enhancing" its radars -- meaning smaller objects are now visible.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
German Chancellor Merz expects Ukraine war to last a long time
Why Hungarians feel poorer than their neighbours despite rising wages
Fidesz minister vows Hungary will ‘rescue’ a crisis-stricken EU
Budapest completes back-to-school infrastructure upgrade
Hungarian–Chinese consortium wins tender for Budapest trolleybuses
Betting market fuels speculation about Viktor Orbán’s future
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Trump Administration Seeks to Repurpose $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
×