U.S. intelligence watched the Chinese spy balloon as it lifted off near China’s south coast, meaning the U.S. military had been tracking it for nearly a week before it entered U.S. airspace.
The Pentagon has confirmed the balloon was being used for surveillance, disputing China’s claim that it was a civilian aircraft used for meteorological purposes.
Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the balloon didn’t pose a physical or military threat, and once it was detected, the U.S. took steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information.
The FBI is expected to take custody of any recovered components of the balloon and ship them to its lab in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis and intelligence gathering, a senior government official told ABC News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a planned trip to China as the balloon’s presence over the continental U.S. added new tension to the U.S.-China relationship.
Blinken called the balloon a “clear violation” of U.S. sovereignty and international law.
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