Companies behind the Chinese spy balloon face US sanction risk
Anyone who helped to launch China’s spy satellite is in serious trouble with the US.
Washington believes that the Chinese manufacturer of the Chinese balloon had ” multiple antennas” to gather intelligence. A senior state department official stated this on Thursday (Feb. 9)
Officials did not identify the company. It appears to be an approved vendor by the Chinese military. The company advertises balloon products on their website and also hosts videos from past flights that appear to have entered US and other countries’ airspace.
The presence of the balloon in US airspace increases geopolitical tensions. With its Chip Ban and crackdown on Tick, the US has been putting pressure on China. They also made a Deal with the Philippines for access to military bases close to Taiwan.
The US revealed the following information about the Chinese surveillance balloon fleet
The stakes are high for the US’s response to Chinese spy balloon revelations
The stakes are high for the US’s response to Chinese spy balloon revelations
, a senior defense official said that there have been instances of Chinese spy balloons entering US airspace, including during the Trump administration’s time period from 2016 to 2020.
“PRC government surveillance satellites briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during previous administrations and once at the beginning of the current administration. But never for such a long time.” We had multiple conversations with Chinese officials, but the PRC offered no explanation and instead of addressing their intrusion into our airspace.
China may deny it, but the US believes this balloon was intentionally sent into US airspace to spy on the country.
“The PRC claimed publicly that the high altitude balloon above the United States was a weather balloon that was misaligned. This is false. This was a PRC surveillance satellite. The surveillance balloon traveled purposefully across the United States and Canada. We are certain it was monitoring sensitive military sites. The PRC government claims that the weather balloon was the reason for the balloon’s flight over the United States.
According to the senior official, there is at least one similar balloon on the American side.
“This is not a single PRC surveillance balloon in the Western Hemisphere.” We believe that another PRC surveillance balloon was seen transiting Central and South America.
Last but not least, America isn’t the only target country.
These kinds of activities are often carried out under the control of the People’s Liberation Army (or PLA). In the last few years, Chinese balloons were spotted in five continents including East Asia, South Asia and Europe.
