Chinese Claim Spy Balloon “Belongs to China”, Wants it Back

China indicated that it would like the U.S. and its allies to return the spy satellite shot down over the Atlantic Ocean. Efforts to recover the debris of the satellite are ongoing.

On Tuesday, reporters asked Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning if China asked the U.S. to return the balloon’s debris.

“The airship does not belong to the U.S.,” Mao Answered. “It belongs to China.”

China’s Foreign Ministry already criticized the U.S. for shooting down the balloon on Saturday, saying it was an overreaction and serious violation of international norms, state news agency Xinhua reported. The ministry reserved China’s right to make any necessary responses.

During its almost week-long flight above the United States, the spy balloon became a national obsession and fuelled tensions between superpowers. It flew over Montana, where there are some nuclear missile silos. The Pentagon claimed that the spy balloon was flying to intercept strategic sites.

China claims that the balloon was a civilian research balloon for weather forecasting, and has veered off-course. Mao had already taken down the balloon the day before. It is strongly recommended “both sides” To “handle this matter together in a cool-headed and prudent manner.”

First photos of the U.S. effort in recovering the balloon from the sea These were published Tuesday. 

Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck Telled reporters Monday that the balloon — which was 200 feet tall and carried an airliner-jet-sized payload weighing likely “in excess of a couple thousand pounds” — created a debris field of “more than 15 football fields by 15 football fields” South Carolina’s coast.

A U.S. official said the spy balloon’s surveillance payload did not survive the fall from about 58,000 feet intact, ABC News reported. According to them, a portion was found on the ocean’s floor while another was discovered at the surface.

This was a breaking story. These details were regularly updated as new information became available. 

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