The suspected surveillance balloon sent by the Chinese government that was shot down in early February over the Atlantic Ocean had the capability to collect communication signals, a State Department spokesperson said.
The big picture: Details continue to emerge about the balloon, and lawmakers are pressing for more information related to the balloon's journey across the U.S.
Driving the news: The balloon's antennas were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications," the State Department spokesperson said.
- That would be inconsistent with the Chinese government's claims that the balloon was a civilian aircraft being used primarily for meteorological purposes.
- The Pentagon has rejected the claims that it wasn't used for surveillance.
What they're saying: China's Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng said previously that he had formally complained to the U.S. Embassy about the incident, which he said had "seriously impacted and damaged both sides' efforts and progress in stabilizing Sino-U.S. relations," according to AP.
- Xie added that the U.S. had used "indiscriminate ... force against the civilian airship that was about to leave the United States airspace, which obviously overreacted and seriously violated the spirit of international law and international practice."
- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called the decision to down the balloon an "obvious overreaction and a serious violation of international practice" adding that it was "reserving the right to take further actions in response," AP reported. China's Defense Ministry reiterated this sentiment.
How we got here: The balloon was downed by an American fighter aircraft above the Atlantic Ocean with President Biden's authorization.
- U.S. military commanders developed plans to take the balloon down over water to minimize risk, the Department of Defense said in a statement. The mission was carried out in coordination and with the support of the Canadian government, the Defense Department said.
- The balloon had entered Canadian airspace in the Northwest Territories on Jan. 30 before crossing back over into the U.S. on Feb. 1, per AP.
Zoom out: China has flown similar surveillance balloons over more than 40 countries across five continents in the past, per the State Department spokesperson.
Here's what we know
The Pentagon has accused China of using the balloon to collect information on sensitive military sites, which China denies.
- The State Department spokesperson said on Feb. 9 that the balloon had solar panels that were big enough to produce sufficient power to "operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors."
- The Pentagon said when it announced that it was tracking the balloon that it did not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
- Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said previously that the North American Aerospace Defense Command was closely monitoring the balloon as it moved eastward over the center of the continental U.S. and that it was well above the range of civilian air traffic, at about 60,000 feet.
- Ryder said the balloon was large enough to "cause damage from the debris field if we downed it over an area."
- U.S. officials initially decided against shooting the airship down over safety concerns.
- The Pentagon said Feb. 3 that a second spy balloon sent by the Chinese government was traveling south of the U.S., transiting Latin America.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Feb. 3 postponed his planned trip to Beijing, saying the surveillance balloon in U.S. airspace "is a clear violation of U.S. sovereignty and international law."
Thought bubble via Axios' Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian: Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently softened his tone towards western nations, hoping for a thaw in relations as he grapples with major domestic challenges.
- But sending a spy balloon directly over the heads of the American populace has accomplished the opposite, greatly raising the sense of a direct Chinese threat to the American homeland.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional reporting and developments.
