Last Update: February 16, 2023, 12:23 IST
This image provided by the US Navy shows sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, SC, February 5, 2023. (US Navy via AP)
The US and China have been locked in a tussle over aerial objects since the US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina this month.
China on Wednesday claimed that US high-altitude balloons flew over its Xinjiang and Tibet regions, sparking diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Beijing also threatened that it would take measures against US entities that undermine Chinese sovereignty, Reuters reported.
Washington and Beijing have been locked in a tussle over aerial objects since the US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina this month. Beijing said it was a civilian research vehicle that was accidentally blown up and said Washington had reacted.
China said earlier this week that since May 2022, more than 10 American balloons have flown in its airspace without permission. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin has said that American balloons flew around the world.
“Without approval from the relevant Chinese authorities, it has illegally overflyed China’s territorial airspace at least 10 times, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and other provinces,” Wang said.
The White House has rejected China’s allegations.
The ongoing controversy comes after the US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month.
Beijing says its balloon was a civilian research vessel, and Washington retorts.
China further said that US balloons were seen in highly protected areas of Tibet and Xinjiang where Beijing is accused of widespread human rights abuses against non-Han populations.
It also accused the Japanese government of making “unfounded allegations”, following which the Japanese Defense Ministry re-analyzed sightings of unidentified aerial objects from November 2019. Japan had claimed that it “strongly suspects” that Chinese surveillance balloons have entered its territory at least three times since 2019. ,
Washington later added six Chinese entities linked to Beijing’s suspected surveillance balloon program to an export blacklist.
Wang said on Wednesday, “The US has abused force, overreacted, escalated the situation and used it as an excuse to illegally impose sanctions on Chinese companies and institutions.”
“China strongly opposes this and will retaliate against relevant US entities that undermine China’s sovereignty and security in accordance with law,” Wang said.
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