The US Department of Defense, the Pentagon, previously estimated that the Chinese ship appeared to be monitoring US nuclear facilities.
Tomi Pyy,
Eelis Bjurström
China’s foreign ministry says the balloon, which the US suspects is a spy device, was a civilian “airship”.
According to China, it was a research tool that was mainly used for meteorological studies.
The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the airship has limited steering capabilities and that it deviated far from its planned route due to the winds.
China’s foreign ministry also said it regretted that the device strayed into US airspace.
The Pentagon is suspicious
The US Department of Defense, the Pentagon, previously estimated that the Chinese ship appeared to be monitoring US nuclear facilities.
President of the United States Joe Biden officials advised against shooting the balloon down, as remnants of the balloon are feared to be a security threat.
Canada’s Ministry of Defense also said a high-flying reconnaissance balloon was spotted in its airspace as well, but did not provide further details.