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Washington: The Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Defense Department, said on Friday night that another Chinese surveillance balloon is passing over Latin America. Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said, “We are receiving reports of another balloon passing over Latin America. Our assessment is that this is another Chinese surveillance balloon. At this time we do not have any additional information to provide.” The news of the Chinese surveillance balloon passing over Latin America comes a day after the Pentagon reported sighting a Chinese surveillance balloon flying inside US territory in Montana.
In response, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his visit to Beijing after a Chinese balloon appeared in the American sky. He took the decision despite China’s claim that the balloon was a meteorological research satellite that had lost its course and that it (Beijing) had “no intention to violate the jurisdiction and airspace of any sovereign country”.
Another Chinese spy balloon flying over Latin America, says Pentagon
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Blinken said Friday that one of his first tasks was to make sure the Chinese balloons were cleared out of US airspace. Meanwhile, the Pentagon said a Chinese balloon the size of three buses carrying a large number of payloads will likely remain in US skies for the next few days and has the capability to conduct extensive surveillance. “The first thing is to get it out of our airspace,” Blinken said at a press conference here. I have always believed that it is important to keep the channels of communication open. In fact, this incident shows its importance and hence we will keep it going.”
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“When conditions permit, I plan to go to China, but the most important thing at this point is to get this surveillance object out of our airspace and we will get it out of here,” Blinken said. ‘We have made it clear to China. I think any country whose airspace is violated in this way will react in the same way. I just wonder what China’s reaction would be if we were in our place.” He said that this incident has weakened the purpose of the yatra.
Blinken said, “China’s decision to fly a surveillance balloon over the US is unacceptable and irresponsible. It is a violation of our sovereignty, it is a violation of international law. It was vitally important that we act to protect all sensitive information, protect our people and make it clear to China that this is an unacceptable and irresponsible move. Blinken was scheduled to leave for China on Friday night as part of efforts to ease heightened tensions in ties between Beijing and Washington over trade, Taiwan, human rights and China’s claims in the South China Sea. It would have been the first visit to Beijing by a top US diplomat in years.
The White House said that US President Joe Biden has been informed of China’s violation of US airspace and is closely monitoring the situation. He told that Biden has decided not to destroy the Chinese balloon yet in view of the safety of the common man, but all steps will be discussed. Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Rider told reporters at the Defense Department, “We will continue to monitor this. At this point, our assessment is that it will be over the US for a few days, but we will keep our options open and will keep you posted.” Ryder deduces that there is a large payload underneath the actual balloon. He told that this balloon is currently in Central America and is moving east. (agency)
