China Targeted India, Japan, Other Countries With Fleet Of Spy Balloons
AMID tension between the US and China over the shootdown of the Chinese spy balloon, the media reported that Beijing has operated a fleet of spy balloons targeting several countries including India. The US has begun briefing its partner and ally countries including India on the finds of a Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday.
Accusing China of violating American sovereignty and international law, the Us official said, the balloon flew over the US northwest where there are key airbases and strategic missiles in silos underground.
In the finding, the US intelligence community has linked the Chinese spy balloon to a vast surveillance program run by the People’s Liberation Army, The Washington Post reported.
On Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman briefed officials from about 40 embassies in Washington about it.
“The surveillance balloon effort, which has operated for several years partly out of Hainan province off China’s south coast, has collected information on military assets in countries and areas of emerging strategic interest to China including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines, according to several U.S. officials, who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity,” The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
Washington’s report is based on the interviews done with several defence and intelligence officials who revealed pieces of information on the request of anonymity. “Officials have said these surveillance airships, operated in part by the PLA air force, have been spotted over five continents,” The Washington Post reported.
According to the daily, in recent years, at least four balloons have been spotted over Hawaii, Florida, Texas and Guam — in addition to the one tracked last week.
After the US shot down the spy balloon on Saturday, China reacted angrily to America’s action and voiced its strong dissatisfaction at the move. The country also said it may make necessary responses.
