Chinese balloon capable of gathering intelligence ; An allege Chinese surveillance device shot down. By the United States this week was able to collect communications signals, a US official said.
It was equip with multiple antennas capable of “gathering intelligence,” a senior State Department official said at a background briefing.
On Thursday, US lawmakers passed a non-binding resolution condemning China over the hot air balloon.
China has denied that the balloon was use for espionage.
They say the balloon was a weather instrument that blew up.
The Americans believe the balloon is part of a wider fleet of observation balloons spanning five continents.
House members called the balloon an “outrageous violation of American sovereignty. As the agency vote 419-0 Thursday morning to condemn its use.
Its appearance in US airspace spark a diplomatic crisis. Prompt US Secretary of State Antony Blink to cancel a trip to China. The first such high-level meeting between the US and China in years. The U.S. military launched the balloon over the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend with a fighter jet.
China said on Thursday it had no knowledge of a wider fleet of observation balloons. The claim is “probably part of the US’s information and opinion war against China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said.
China has also targeted US President Joe Biden after. He said in an interview with PBS that Chinese leader Xi Jinping was facing “huge problems”. The comments were “highly irresponsible and a violation of basic diplomatic etiquette,” Ning said.
Chinese balloon capable of gathering intelligence – US official; A senior State Department official said Thursday that high-resolution images showed the balloon. Which is about 200 feet (60 meters) high, had large solar panels. That could control “multiple active intelligence-gathering sensors” and antennae that could gather data. And geographic location of telecommunications.
The United States is considering taking action against groups linked to the Chinese government. That were involve in the balloon flight, the official said.
The latest information from the US Government Suggests. The ship was indeed some sort of observation box, experts have told the AZ24 News.
“These types of antennas are intend for surveillance technology. That’s not expect of any scientific project,” said Gregory Falco, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil. Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
According By Experts;
Experts say it’s still unclear exactly what data China may have been trying to collect during the balloon mission. But it may have intercepted radios, cellphones. Other communications from the military bases it flew over. Matt Kroenig said. director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.
The balloon’s large solar panels, as well as the fact. That it was able to hover over US Airspace for long periods of time, are cause for concern, Dr. Falco said.
“They have a powerful system that can handle a lot of data,” Dr. Falco said. “I don’t know exactly what they collected. But all the mechanics are there to bring a lot of data back to your satellite.”
According to Dr. Kroenig, the United States could have taken countermeasures to prevent China from obtaining data, including jamming equipment.
The FBI says its lab will help process the collected debris. Which has so far been balloon parts, wires and electronic components collected from the sea surface.
Most of the balloon’s “payload” — which likely includes surveillance equipment. Other items of interest to investigators — remains submerged off the coast of South Carolina. Authorities warn that processing the wreckage could take a long time, which could be extend by bad weather conditions.
US Congress hold balloon hearings
Officials from the US Intelligence, military and State Departments began briefing lawmakers on the balloon on Thursday.
The hearings came amid mounting criticism from political opponents of the Biden administration’s handling of the incident.
On Wednesday, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Roger. Wicker said in an open letter that they did not “clearly” understand the administration’s response to the balloon.
U.S. Army General Douglas Sims told senators. That “the risk to Chinese intelligence was low to moderate” when the balloon flew over the United States.
Conversely, if fired above ground, the potential for harm to civilians on the ground could be “moderate to significant.”
Officials also defended the timing of the balloon’s destruction. Saying it would have made the recovery effort more difficult. dDangerous in the rugged terrain of Alaska or the cold waters of the North Pacific.
Defense Department Spokesman Pat Ryder confirmed at a news conference Wednesday. That the United States believes similar balloons have operated over North and South America, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Europe.
