China has been utilizing balloons for years to spy on the complete world, U.S. navy leaders mentioned Wednesday.

At the very least 4 balloons have entered U.S. airspace since 2017, not counting the one which fighter jets shot down Saturday off the South Carolina coast, in accordance with Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary.

Ryder didn’t describe precisely the place the balloons traveled, saying solely that they soared over “websites that may be of curiosity to the Chinese language.”

A high altitude balloon floats over Billings, Mont., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. The huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon sailed across the U.S. on Friday, drawing severe Pentagon accusations of spying and sending excited or alarmed Americans outside with binoculars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing U..S.-China tensions.

A excessive altitude balloon floats over Billings, Mont., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. The large, high-altitude Chinese language balloon sailed throughout the U.S. on Friday, drawing extreme Pentagon accusations of spying and sending excited or alarmed Individuals exterior with binoculars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled a high-stakes Beijing journey aimed toward easing U..S.-China tensions. (Larry Mayer/AP)

In February 2021, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii “detected a high-altitude object floating in air within the neighborhood of the Hawaiian Islands,” in accordance with a tweet from Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara. Nonetheless, Ryder wouldn’t affirm Wednesday if that was a Chinese language spy balloon.

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China has despatched surveillance balloons everywhere in the world, in accordance with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“The US was not the one goal,” he mentioned Wednesday at a press convention, including that the U.S. despatched briefings to allies worldwide.

The newest Chinese language surveillance balloon was first detected Jan. 28 over Alaska, however grew to become nationwide information early final week when it was noticed over Billings, Mont. The Pentagon let the balloon float throughout the U.S. earlier than taking pictures it down about 10 miles off Myrtle Seashore on Saturday.

Ryder mentioned the gradual and regular technique allowed the U.S. to study “much more” concerning the balloon program.

China continues to assert that the balloon was merely a civilian climate system.

“I can guarantee you this was not for civilian functions,” Ryder mentioned Wednesday. “We’re 100% clear about that.”

With Information Wire Companies

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