The US military has spotted a Chinese spy balloon over northern US. The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the balloon was spotted over the state of Montana in the north-west of the United States. The trajectory of the balloon is followed closely. It is still over the United States, it said.
After the discovery of the balloon, US President Joe Biden reportedly ordered a possible launch to be examined. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and top military officials ultimately decided against it because shooting down would endanger too many people on the ground due to the risk of falling debris.
The AP news agency reports that they are certain that the balloon came from China, citing a “senior defense official” who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity. The balloon was sighted in the state of Montana, in the north-west of the country. In Montana, Malmstrom Air Force Base is one of the United States’ three nuclear missile silos.
The agency reports that there have been similar incidents in the past. The difference this time is that the balloon stays longer than usual over the United States. The United States is in contact with China regarding the current incident.
A Pentagon spokesman issued a brief statement, saying the government is continuing to track the balloon. This is currently flying at a height well above commercial air traffic and poses “no military or physical threat” to people on the ground.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to China in a few days. The US plans to further expand its military presence in the region, but the visit of a high-level US delegation to Beijing last December should further ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies. However, it is unclear whether the incident will affect Blinken’s upcoming trip.
