Civilian purposes: Beijing confirms balloon flying over Latin America is Chinese

US military fighter aircraft shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday.

Beijing, Feb 06: A balloon spotted over the skies of Latin America belongs to China and was used for flight tests, Beijing confirmed on Monday. This is the first time China has confessed the balloon spotted over two Latin American countries belongs to Beijing.

Beijing's foreign ministry Monday said the object was "from China" and that it was of "a civilian nature and used for flight tests".

"Affected by weather forces in addition to its manoeuvrability being limited, the airship deviated greatly from its expected course, and accidentally entered Latin American and Caribbean airspace," spokesperson Mao Ning was quoted saying by AFP.

"China is a responsible country and has always strictly abided by international law," she added.
"We have communicated with the relevant parties and are handling appropriately, and will not cause any threat to any country."

The detection of the other balloon over the United States prompted the cancellation of a planned China visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who had been due to arrive in Beijing on Sunday.

US shoots down Chinese Spy balloon

Sensing a threat, US military fighter aircraft shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean as it crossed continental America after hovering over its skies from Montana to South Carolina. The balloon was brought down above US territorial waters.

The balloon, which Beijing claimed was a weather observation airship first entered US airspace on January 28 before moving into Canadian airspace on Monday January 30. It then re-entered US airspace on January 31.

At the direction of President Joe Biden, the US military at 2.39 pm EST shot down the Chinese surveillance balloon in the Atlantic Ocean, some six miles away from the US shores in South Carolina, with no damage to the life and properties of Americans.

Fighter aircraft from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia inspired a single missile into the balloon causing it to crash into the ocean within the US territorial airspace.

Now, the US has launched a mission to recover all the equipment from the debris while China expressed its strong dissatisfaction towards America's use of force against its civilian unmanned airship and warned of repercussions.